Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Gove and George Eustice

Monday 27th February 2012 Commons Chamber

[George Eustice (Camborne and Redruth) (Con)]

16. What recent progress he has made on his plans for capital investment in schools.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Michael Gove)]

For the current spending review period, we have a total capital budget of £17.1 billion. In December I announced capital for 2012-13, including £11 million for schools in Cornwall to provide new places and repair buildings.

[George Eustice]

Camborne Science and International Academy, which the Secretary of State will recall visiting last summer, has applied for permission to build some new science laboratories under the priority schools building programme. That will cost a fraction of the amount that was originally required under the Building Schools for the Future programme. Does my right hon. Friend agree that when schools have sharpened their pencils and identified savings in that way, they should be given some credit when their applications are assessed?

[Michael Gove]

That is a very deft case, very well put by my hon. Friend. I am well aware that, for a variety of reasons, a number of schools in Cornwall have missed out on the allocation of capital in the past. One of the things that I have learnt in this job is that sometimes when we publish lists of school buildings it is important to wait a wee while just to make sure that they are right.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Gove and George Eustice

Monday 7th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is ironic that we were just discussing poor behaviour and people in class disrupting those who want to learn. I am keen to work with the hon. Member for York Central (Hugh Bayley), and college principals in particular, to ensure that our new, enhanced learner support fund can help all those vulnerable young people who need support to stay in education and learning.

[George Eustice (Camborne and Redruth) (Con)]

When the Secretary of State assesses the size of the discretionary learner support to be made available to each college, will he consider at least making one of the criteria the number of second-year students who currently receive EMA, to assist colleges and students in the transition to the new system?

[Michael Gove]

That is a constructive suggestion, which I will consider as part of the review.

Schools White Paper

Debate between Michael Gove and George Eustice

Wednesday 24th November 2010 Commons Chamber

[George Eustice (Camborne and Redruth) (Con)]

I welcome the emphasis that the Secretary of State has placed on science in schools. Does he agree that we need to do much more to inform pupils who are about to select their GCSE subjects of the value that science can add to their career? Does he also agree that we need to do more to inspire them about the sciences? I would like to commend to him the work of the Camborne science and community college, in partnerships with schools in Japan and Singapore. Perhaps he would like to come and see some of that work.

[Michael Gove]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and I will.