Angela Smith
Main Page: Angela Smith (Liberal Democrat - Penistone and Stocksbridge)(14 years, 2 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Mr Willetts
My hon. Friend makes a very important point. The ambition is to tie together a coherent package of support going through the different stages of childhood and on into adulthood. There is more help for early years, we have the assistance in the pupil premium for children on free school meals and we are using those sorts of criteria to continue to assist those young people through into university. That is absolutely our aim; there is a lot more work to do on the detail of the national scholarship scheme, and her thoughts and those of Members on both sides of the House will be very welcome as we develop our proposals.
Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Lab)
The Government’s policy represents a major shift in all sorts of ways, not least because it is based on a massive 80% reduction in public sector funding for higher education teaching. Surely, therefore, it is crucial that the Government ensure a proper debate on those changes by publishing a White Paper as soon as possible.
Mr Willetts
We are going to produce a White Paper, and I have also made it clear that there will be a proper opportunity for debate in this House.