School Building Closures

Debate between Gillian Keegan and Mike Amesbury

Tuesday 19th September 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mike Amesbury (Weaver Vale) (Lab)]

Half an hour ago, I came from a meeting with London fire chiefs, who were calling for a national register of buildings containing RAAC. That is a practical ask—will the Secretary of State work with other Departments to ensure that it becomes a reality?

[Gillian Keegan]

I think the fire chiefs usually work with local responsible bodies to find out how they can minimise fire risks within a local area.

Higher Education Reform

Debate between Gillian Keegan and Mike Amesbury

Monday 17th July 2023 Commons Chamber

[Gillian Keegan]

I know that my right hon. Friend is a huge champion of Anglia Ruskin University. I am delighted about the number of medical doctors and the new medical schools, which, as she said, were introduced under this Government. When I was the Apprenticeships and Skills Minister, one of the last things I did, and which I am most proud about, was to get a medical doctors apprenticeship standard built, and I am delighted that that is being rolled out from September. I look forward to Anglia Ruskin offering that as well.

[Mike Amesbury (Weaver Vale) (Lab)]

I was the first in my family to get a university degree—I hope that I am not the last. Will the Secretary of State confirm that the Tory party is the party of the blockers—blocking aspiration and opportunity in higher education as well as the building of affordable houses?

[Gillian Keegan]

No, I think that the hon. Member has got it completely wrong. Under the Conservatives, an 18-year-old from a disadvantaged background is 86% more likely to go to university than they were in 2010. Under Labour, the richest students were seven times more likely to go to university than the poorest 40% in society.

Education

Debate between Gillian Keegan and Mike Amesbury

Monday 16th March 2020 Ministerial Corrections

[Mike Amesbury (Weaver Vale) (Lab)]

Apprenticeships are down 46% since the introduction of the levy. What will the Minister do in National Careers Week to turn that around?

[Gillian Keegan]

Apprenticeships are at the heart of our vision for a world-class technical education system, and we have specifically focused on quality in the past year or so. High-quality starts have increased to 63% from 44% in the previous year. Quality is the most important thing, and we are pleased to say that the number of starts is increasing this year.

[Official Report, 2 March 2020, Vol. 672, c. 595.]

Letter of correction from the Under-Secretary of State for Education, the hon. Member for Chichester (Gillian Keegan):

Errors have been identified in the response I gave to the hon. Member for Weaver Vale (Mike Amesbury).

The correct response should have been:

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Gillian Keegan and Mike Amesbury

Monday 2nd March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Gillian Keegan]

Of course, the workforce in FE colleges are a vital part of delivering the high-quality turnaround we want in our technical education. We are increasing the funding in FE colleges, and we have also increased funding specifically for workforce development. These are independent organisations, of course, so we do not set the pay and salary scales.

[Mike Amesbury (Weaver Vale) (Lab)]

Apprenticeships are down 46% since the introduction of the levy. What will the Minister do in National Careers Week to turn that around?

[Gillian Keegan]

Apprenticeships are at the heart of our vision for a world-class technical education system, and we have specifically focused on quality in the past year or so. High-quality starts have increased to 63% from 44% the previous year. Quality is the most important thing, and we are pleased to say that the number of starts is increasing this year.[Official Report, 16 March 2020, Vol. 673, c. 5MC.]