Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Margaret Ferrier and Gillian Keegan

Monday 17th July 2023 Commons Chamber

[Gillian Keegan]

As usual, we are ahead of the Opposition. We have already invested in 21 institutes of technology, which are where a group of colleges and universities work with employers in the area. They are a great addition to the landscape, along with all the other technical qualifications and skills training that we have introduced since 2010.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)]

I welcome the funding made available to the space systems engineering degree apprenticeship and the opportunities that will provide young people in the UK’s growing space industry. What plans do Ministers have to fund similar apprenticeships in other emerging sectors?

[Gillian Keegan]

It was a great pleasure to go to the space park in Leicester to launch the space systems engineering level 6 degree apprenticeship, on top of the level 4 space engineering apprenticeship, which I launched previously. There are many different routes into the space industry, which is important and something that we are good at in the UK. Any employers or employer groups wishing to develop an apprenticeship standard could work with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. We have worked with more than 5,000 employers in the past few years, and we have built more than 670 apprenticeship standards, none of which existed before we started the programme in 2012.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Margaret Ferrier and Gillian Keegan

Monday 28th November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Gillian Keegan]

I would be very happy to meet my hon. Friend. I thoroughly enjoyed working with her on many things vocational and technical education when I was last in the Department. We very much need more mechanical engineers, so I encourage that young student and very much look forward to working with my hon. Friend.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)]

What steps are Ministers taking to achieve the target of delivering 20,000 defibrillators in schools by 2023?

Crisis in Iran

Debate between Margaret Ferrier and Gillian Keegan

Tuesday 25th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Gillian Keegan]

BBC Persian is a legitimate journalistic operation, which is still operating and is editorially independent of the UK Government. However, I am shortly meeting with representatives from BBC World Service and I will discuss the matter further with them.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Ind)]

Security forces are demanding that teachers in Iran hand over the names of troublemakers, threatening arrest if they refuse. One teacher in Tehran has reportedly died trying to protect students. What support are the UK and our allies providing to protect teachers specifically from those terrifying abuses of their human rights?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Margaret Ferrier and Gillian Keegan

Monday 2nd March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Gillian Keegan]

My hon. Friend is a powerful voice for the environment, and it is no surprise to find that in this area he is right. The UK is leading a new green industrial revolution, and we need a workforce with the technical skills for the future. That is why we have introduced T-levels. We are also investing £290 million in 20 institutes of technology, which will be the pinnacle of technical training.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (SNP)]

The Scottish Government have undertaken a review to consider the experiences and outcomes for young people in care in Scotland. Will the UK Government carry out a similar exercise in England?