Barry Sheerman
Main Page: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)Off-quota University Places
Barry Sheerman ExcerptsUrgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.
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Mr Willetts
I am happy to give the hon. Lady the assurance that she seeks. That is not the proposal that we will put forward in the White Paper.
Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op)
Does the Secretary of State accept that it was he who started this hare running? The minds of those of us who want to be fair to him have not been put at rest by what the Minister has said today. We do not want a twin-track or two-tier system. May I add that, as the Minister knows, many of the leading public schools in this country are charities?
Mr Willetts
The Secretary of State and I have publicly referred to this idea. I referred to it in a public speech to Universities UK and he referred to it in a speech to HEFCE. We both said that we were looking at ideas for off-quota places. We make no secret of the fact that we are investigating those ideas. I have also made it clear in every public remark that we are looking at employers and charities as the people who would sponsor such places.