Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerry Sutcliffe and Michael Gove

Monday 11th November 2013 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

That is a characteristically acute point from my hon. Friend. The most important thing we need to do is ensure that the quality of teaching in our schools is improving. Ofsted tells us that it is, and I am delighted to report that to the House. That is a result of our reforms.

[Mr Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South) (Lab)]

What will the Secretary of State do about Kings science academy in Bradford and the disaster that is that school? There are fines for admission policies, and it looks like criminality as well.

[Michael Gove]

There are certainly questions to be answered by those responsible for Kings science academy, but I stress that all academies and free schools are more rigorously audited and held accountable than local authority schools. I also stress that for many years the quality of education in Bradford has been appalling, yet it is only when new providers come in to innovate that we hear from Opposition Members. They are prepared consistently to turn a blind eye to Labour local authorities that fail, yet whenever there is any challenge to that complacency, all they can do is talk cynically about those idealists who are trying to improve state education.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerry Sutcliffe and Michael Gove

Monday 3rd December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South) (Lab)]

Why do free schools not have to provide sports facilities, and how will that help the Olympic legacy?

[Michael Gove]

All schools need to ensure that their children have access to high-quality sports and physical education facilities and, under regulations that we have brought in, for the first time ever all schools, including independent and free schools, will have to guarantee access to high-quality facilities.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gerry Sutcliffe and Michael Gove

Monday 3rd September 2012 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

The hon. Lady makes an effective point in a very effective way, and I absolutely agree with her. It is one of the blessings of the past 30 years that attitudes towards adoption and conception have changed so much, and that the stigma that used to be attached to children who were born out of wedlock is, mercifully, no longer there. It is quite wrong to force a mother to part from her child when she is capable of providing that child with a loving home. Anxious as we are to ensure that children in need are adopted, we must be equally anxious to ensure that single parents are supported.

[Mr Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South) (Lab)]

3. What plans his Department has for child care; and if he will make a statement.

School Sports Funding

Debate between Gerry Sutcliffe and Michael Gove

Tuesday 30th November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

I am grateful to Kealey Sherwood for the commitment she shows. I am also grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for the work he did when he was Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, but I have a question, which most people would consider fair-minded. If Opposition Members would like to maintain the infrastructure entirely intact, how much are they prepared to take from other budgets to do that, or if they agree with the right hon. Member for Leigh that a cut is possible to maintain the infrastructure, what level of cut would it be? Which of the posts is dispensable?

[Mr Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South) (Lab)]

rose—

[Michael Gove]

I am happy to give way to the hon. Gentleman, who is a former sports Minister.

[Mr Sutcliffe]

The Secretary of State talked about the national governing bodies. The infrastructure is the school sport partnerships working with the national governing bodies to deliver their whole sport plans. If he is serious about finding a way through, has he had any discussion with his hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Mr Foster) about why that infrastructure is so important? Has he had any discussions with his hon. Friend about the way forward?

[Michael Gove]

I am fortunate enough to have had a number of discussions with my hon. Friend the Member for Bath, and one of the points that he has made to me is that although many people working in the network and the infrastructure are doing a fantastic job, which I happily acknowledge—I am glad to have the opportunity this debate affords me to stress that—it is also the case that the quality of delivery can be variable. It is important that we audit how the infrastructure is performing, and that we ensure that money is spent proportionately.