Oral Answers to Questions

Bridget Phillipson Excerpts
Tuesday 10th November 2015

(8 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Louise Haigh is not here. I call Bridget Phillipson.

Bridget Phillipson Portrait Bridget Phillipson (Houghton and Sunderland South) (Lab)
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T6. In his Green Paper, the Minister says that he wants to improve access to higher education for the most disadvantaged students. Will he match that rhetoric with action and protect the student opportunity fund, which does so much to support young people from across the country in realising their full potential?

Lord Johnson of Marylebone Portrait The Minister for Universities and Science (Joseph Johnson)
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Yes, indeed. In the Green Paper, we set out various proposals on which we want to consult with the sector. I have also announced the creation of a social mobility taskforce, which is to report back to me by Christmas with proposals on how to meet the Prime Minister’s ambitious target of doubling the proportion of people from disadvantaged backgrounds who attend university by 2020.