Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Ben Bradshaw

Main Page: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)

Oral Answers to Questions

Ben Bradshaw Excerpts
Thursday 15th March 2012

(12 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Willetts Portrait Mr Willetts
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right that students need to have access to such information. That is why we have identified the 17 key sources of information to which students attach most importance, and that should be available on Government websites before the start of the next round of university applications.

Ben Bradshaw Portrait Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) (Lab)
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Is the Minister aware of the double whammy faced by universities such as Plymouth that are losing hundreds of students because of a combination of two of his policies, which are to redistribute 9% of their students to cheaper universities while allowing the elite universities to have unlimited numbers of students who get two As and a B. Will he look again at that policy, which will have a serious impact on the south-west economy?

Lord Willetts Portrait Mr Willetts
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Our policy of saying that universities are free to recruit students with AAB or better without number controls puts more power and choice in the hands of students, which is one of the key propositions of our White Paper. We need to strengthen students in the system to get universities to focus on high-quality teaching and we intend to go further with that proposal.