Oral Answers to Questions

Mark Lazarowicz Excerpts
Thursday 5th December 2013

(10 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Willetts Portrait Mr Willetts
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I completely agree with the hon. Lady, which is why the Government support fundamental research. Only last week I went to the launch of £250 million of public money for centres of doctoral training run by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

Mark Lazarowicz Portrait Mark Lazarowicz (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab/Co-op)
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One of the biggest engineering projects this country has ever seen will be High Speed 2. What specific steps is the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills taking in conjunction with the Department for Transport to ensure that engineering opportunities are available to businesses throughout the entire country, not just firms adjacent to the route?

Lord Willetts Portrait Mr Willetts
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We are already working with the current largest infrastructure plan, Crossrail, to ensure that skills are available and that we take the opportunity to build up skills in crucial techniques such as tunnelling. We will take the same approach to HS2.