Mark Durkan
Main Page: Mark Durkan (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)(14 years, 1 month ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Vince Cable
Yes, there is a major problem of employability, as unfortunately we have a growing pool of graduate unemployed. At the same time, there is a chronic shortage in some subjects, notably science, technology, engineering and maths—STEM subjects—which suggests that the existing system is not giving the right signals to universities. What we certainly want to see is much greater attention being given to universities’ demonstrating their record on employability, performance and teaching, so that students can make informed choices in future.
Mark Durkan (Foyle) (SDLP)
Will the Secretary of State acknowledge that although the Browne report’s proposals address higher education institutions in England, they will have implications for such institutions in Northern Ireland? They will certainly have implications, by way of variable fees, for students who would wish to come to courses here. Will he discuss those implications with relevant Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive and in Scotland, or does he hope by default to impose the policy changes that he has just undertaken on the devolved Administrations?
Vince Cable
Of course we respect the separate position of the different nations of the UK, and I am very happy to discuss it with the hon. Gentleman.