Oral Answers to Questions

Gordon Henderson Excerpts

Monday 10th October 2016 Commons Chamber

[Justine Greening]

That is not at all what the Higher Education and Research Bill seeks to do. It is about opening up the higher education sector, so that we have the next wave of institutions that can provide fantastic degrees, and about making sure that there is teaching excellence. It is a strong Bill that will move the sector forward for the first time in 25 years.

[Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne and Sheppey) (Con)]

T3. Will my right hon. Friend join me in congratulating my constituents Councillor Sarah Aldridge, Donna Smith-Emes and the rest of the Aspire special school team on securing permission to proceed to the next stage in their bid to set up a free special school that will help meet the need in my constituency and the wider area for school places for children with high functioning autism?

[The Minister for Vulnerable Children and Families (Edward Timpson)]

I am of course more than happy to congratulate Sarah, Donna and the team on the progress they have made with the Aspire special school application, as well as on their clear commitment to children in their area with special educational needs and disability. The free schools programme has already supported the opening of 345 schools, including 13 schools with a specific focus on children with autism. I am aware that the Aspire special school aims to provide a further 112 places for pupils with autism and speech, language and communication needs.

Oral Answers to Questions

Gordon Henderson Excerpts

Tuesday 15th December 2015 Commons Chamber

[Nick Boles]

No.

[Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne and Sheppey) (Con)]

8. What steps his Department is taking to establish a further education college in Sittingbourne.

[The Minister for Skills (Nick Boles)]

The House is making me earn my salary today.

We have launched a process of locally-led area reviews to consider each area’s skills needs and plan how further education colleges and sixth form colleges can best organise themselves to meet them. The Kent review is due to start in November 2016.

[Gordon Henderson]

I welcome the review. Sittingbourne is the largest town in Kent without its own FE college. However, we have a unique opportunity to change that. May I invite the Minister to visit the Swale skills centre in my constituency to learn about how, with the right help, it could easily and cheaply be extended into a small college?

[Nick Boles]

I have had a message from the Whips saying that they would be only too delighted for me to do further visits to hon. Members’ constituencies, so I would be delighted to visit my hon. Friend’s constituency. We do not hear the Opposition celebrating when new institutions open, including the Swale skills centre, which was set up by a very successful academies trust that is already doing a great job of running three local schools.