Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Gove and Karl McCartney

Monday 22nd April 2024 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

I agree with my hon. Friend. Andy Street has been outstanding at delivering jobs and more homes in the west midlands than in any other region, according to housing targets. He has done so despite the failure of Birmingham City Council, which was driven into bankruptcy by Labour.

[Karl MᶜCartney]

Can my right hon. Friend further update colleagues and my constituents on the progress of the Greater Lincolnshire devolution deal, following the deals approved at upper tier council level earlier this year?

[Michael Gove]

We have been consulting and we have listened, and we will have to wait until after 2 May to say more. I am looking forward to working with my hon. Friend to make Lincolnshire great again.

Northern Ireland Protocol: Implementation

Debate between Michael Gove and Karl McCartney

Tuesday 2nd February 2021 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

The hon. Lady is absolutely right. We must make that progress.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con) [V]]

How can my right hon. Friend reassure my constituents in Lincoln and all Northern Ireland citizens that article 16 is not triggered as lightly by the European Commission in the future? It took less than a month for it to be triggered, with little realisation of the potential ramifications by anonymous foolish actors in the European Commission, but thankfully ministerial colleagues, including the Prime Minister, saw to it that the European Commission made a swift U-turn on this occasion. Do the Government intend to revisit the arrangements, as after recent events this would be a justified request?

[Michael Gove]

My hon. Friend makes a very important point. One can never predict the future with accuracy, but I think, given the universal condemnation with which the Commission’s actions were met, that it knows that it has to step away. It is remarkable; the Archbishop of Canterbury, Carl Bildt, Alexander Stubb—the former Finnish Prime Minister—all the parties in Northern Ireland, the Taoiseach and the Irish Foreign Minister were all critical of the decision that was made. This is not some sort of gaggle of Eurosceptics rehearsing traditional lines—it is a recognition that the Commission mucked up.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Gove and Karl McCartney

Tuesday 8th March 2016 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

The hon. Lady makes a very good point. As part of the youth justice review, I have tasked Charlie Taylor with making sure that purposeful activity—education, sporting activity and time outside—is part of the regime that all young offenders in custody can enjoy.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

What assessment has my right hon. Friend made of the impact on prisoner mental health and rehabilitation of ensuring that prisoners serve their sentences as close as possible to their family homes?

[Michael Gove]

My hon. Friend makes an important point. It is important to ensure that families have access to prisoners. Sometimes, of course, that is facilitated by the prison or secure training centre being close to families, but there are ways to ensure that even geographically distant families have effective access to their loved ones.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Gove and Karl McCartney

Tuesday 8th September 2015 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

My hon. Friend makes a good point. One aspect of Dame Sally’s critically important review will cover engagement with employers. I am delighted that the chief executive of Timpson, one of the most inspirational organisations employing ex-offenders, is part of the team that will help Dame Sally to ensure that education, employability and rehabilitation are all operating together.

[Karl MᶜCartney]

I thank my right hon. Friend for his answers so far. Does he agree that the current provision of education in prisons, which seems to centre on the awarding of certificates, is insufficient and that we need to move towards a system in which the curriculum is written jointly with employers and focused on employment? Will he therefore consider connecting education in Her Majesty’s prisons to Lord Baker’s career colleges initiative?

[Michael Gove]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Offenders often feel that they have to complete courses in order to secure release, and that those courses are simply boxes to be ticked and do not contribute to their employability. He is right to suggest that the visionary work carried out by Lord Baker to improve the quality of vocational education more broadly can help to inform what we give to offenders to give them a second chance.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Gove and Karl McCartney

Monday 6th January 2014 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

I will look closely at the particular case that the hon. Gentleman raises. I know that he has been an effective champion for good school provision in Newark, and I shall ensure that I look closely at the pupil numbers to which he alludes.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

3. What steps his Department is taking to improve the quality and quantity of apprenticeships.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Gove and Karl McCartney

Monday 3rd September 2012 Commons Chamber

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

13. What steps he is taking to ensure the development of sport in schools.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Michael Gove)]

Sport should be a central part of any school. Great schools know that sporting and cultural opportunities go hand in hand with high academic standards. We are introducing a revised programme of study for physical education with a greater focus on competitive sport. We are also encouraging more schools to sign up for the highly successful school games. We will make a statement about further measures shortly.

[Karl MᶜCartney]

I thank my right hon. Friend for that energetic answer. Does he agree that the Government need to focus on improving competition in school sport to counter the culture that existed under the previous Labour Government whereby teachers sought to reward all competitors for fear of dividing children into winners and losers? [Interruption.]

[Michael Gove]

Judging by the reaction from the Labour Benches, that question was, to use a fencing term, a palpable hit. I agree that it is important that we support the growth of competitive and team sports in all our schools. One of the things I have been most impressed by when visiting state schools is the way so many of them are using academy freedoms to provide not only greater facilities but more sporting opportunities for our young people.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Gove and Karl McCartney

Monday 21st November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for essentially advocating that we subsidise the expansion of grammar schools. I look forward to that becoming the policy of Labour Front Benchers.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

10. What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the introduction of the English baccalaureate.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Gove and Karl McCartney

Monday 11th July 2011 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

The hon. Gentleman was a great FE principal and is a superb advocate for further education. We will do everything we can to accelerate this process.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

T10. Will my right hon. Friend join me in congratulating the five schools in my city of Lincoln constituency that have converted into academies, the latest being Ermine primary school? Does he agree that academy status can bring significant benefits to schools across England by providing them with greater freedoms, rather than top-down bureaucracy, as was witnessed under the previous Labour Government?