Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Amber Rudd and Damian Hinds

Monday 12th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds]

I know that local authorities work with each other to share best practice and to look at what happens. A whole range of things needs to be considered from, of course, training provision for teachers in mainstream schools, to the availability of places in special schools and so on. I have no doubt that the hon. Gentleman’s local authority will look at all those areas as well.

[Amber Rudd (Hastings and Rye) (Con)]

Hastings is one of the opportunity areas supported and funded by the Government, which will be the biggest driver of social mobility for those of us in it in a generation. Although we celebrate the success and work closely with the Department for Education to make sure that it delivers on those changes, such is the success that we are now concerned about the end of the opportunity area funding. May I urge the Secretary of State to think carefully about how that end might be smoothed so that areas such as Hastings, which will get such extraordinary change from the opportunity area, do not suddenly find themselves cut off?

[Damian Hinds]

I am thinking carefully about that. It was always the intention that it would be a three-year programme and that we would then take learnings from the opportunity areas both to continue that programme in those areas, and also to look at what could work elsewhere, and we continue to look at that. May I commend my right hon. Friend for her personal leadership in the Hastings opportunity area, which I had the chance to visit recently?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Amber Rudd and Damian Hinds

Thursday 17th May 2012 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con)]

6. What progress his Department has made on the introduction of the green deal.

[Amber Rudd (Hastings and Rye) (Con)]

18. What progress his Department has made on the introduction of the green deal.

Living Standards

Debate between Amber Rudd and Damian Hinds

Wednesday 30th November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Amber Rudd]

I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention, and I would like to take the opportunity to say how much I respect the people who work in the public sector. I value the important work that they do. I and my family have used our local hospital in Hastings and they do an excellent job. It is important that we recognise the enormous value that the public sector provides, but we need more job creation in the private sector.

[Damian Hinds]

With employers talking more than ever about work-readiness and employability skills among the young work force, and with the danger of so many young people not being able to get into work quickly, does my hon. Friend agree that work experience placements are a great way of increasing those young people’s value to employers compared with not having had any experience of formal work?

[Amber Rudd]

I agree with my hon. Friend. The Government’s initiative to bring in work experience is valuable and I understand that the scheme is going well, with people picking up jobs after their work experience.