Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Green and Damian Hinds

Monday 14th May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds]

The hon. Lady is absolutely right to identify the challenge in the north-east—a region with particularly strong primary schools and early years settings, but with more of a challenge at secondary school. She is absolutely right that we need to work doubly hard, and I look forward to working with her.

[Damian Green (Ashford) (Con)]

T5. I have seen the enthusiasm for apprenticeships from firms in Ashford improve markedly in recent years, which is great, but I hope Ministers agree that the quality of apprenticeships is as important as quantity. Is my right hon. Friend in discussion with the Institute for Apprenticeships about how to enhance the quality of apprenticeships?

[Damian Hinds]

My right hon. Friend the Skills Minister is in very regular contact with the IFA, and I also met it last week. My right hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Damian Green) is absolutely correct to identify that if we are going to make the step change that we need in the skills and productivity of this country, it is going to be all about driving quality.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Damian Green and Damian Hinds

Tuesday 2nd July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Damian Green]

I would be very happy to do that. I am aware of the work that has been done in Northern Ireland, which has been extremely successful, and I should remind the right hon. Gentleman that the Crime and Courts Act 2013 places pre-sentence restorative justice on a statutory footing for the first time, so I very much share his underlying thoughts on this.

[Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con)]

3. What assessment he has made of the contribution that financial inclusion programmes can make towards reducing reoffending rates.