Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Field of Birkenhead Excerpts
Monday 19th January 2015

(9 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Baroness Morgan of Cotes Portrait Nicky Morgan
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The hon. Gentleman is right that those are of course important skills that we would like to see in all our young people. In the work of the Department I need to balance demands for additional subjects and for academic qualifications, but many schools already teach life-saving skills. As a Department, we have recently negotiated a contract so that schools can obtain defibrillators at reasonable rates and they will of course want to train their pupils on how to use them.

Lord Field of Birkenhead Portrait Mr Frank Field (Birkenhead) (Lab)
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Some time ago, I asked 15-year-olds in Birkenhead what they most wanted from their school. They said that they wanted to know how to be good parents, how to make lifelong friendships and how to get and keep jobs. When we have done some more work in secondary schools in Birkenhead, might I come and present it to the Secretary of State and the shadow Secretary of State?

Baroness Morgan of Cotes Portrait Nicky Morgan
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Perhaps the Secretary of State and I should show true character, resilience and grit by sitting in the same room and listening to what I am sure will be a very interesting presentation.