Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Gove and Simon Danczuk

Monday 27th February 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We are very grateful to the Secretary of State for that, for his knowledge and, indeed, for his pronunciation.

[Simon Danczuk (Rochdale) (Lab)]

Rochdale will get a real-terms increase of less than 1% in its early intervention grant in the next financial year, despite being 25th in the indices of deprivation. Surrey Heath, home to the Secretary of State, is the third least deprived area in the country, yet the local authority is getting a real-terms increase of 7.2%, the biggest of all local authorities. Will the Secretary of State explain to Rochdale people why that is the case when that funding is supposed to tackle deprivation?

[Michael Gove]

It is a fair point, but we are using the formula for allocating money designed by the Government so enthusiastically supported by the hon. Gentleman over 13 years.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Gove and Simon Danczuk

Monday 21st November 2011 Commons Chamber

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

I read the IFS report with interest, and found its arguments thought-provoking.

[Simon Danczuk]

The report shows that education spending is being reduced dramatically. Head teachers in Rochdale and throughout the country deserve our praise for their hard work in dealing with the cuts that are being made by the Government of whom the Secretary of State is a member. Will he take this opportunity to apologise for describing head teachers as whingers?

[Michael Gove]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for praising head teachers in Rochdale. Head teachers everywhere are doing a fantastic job with limited resources. The one thing that I hope I shall be able to work with the hon. Gentleman to ensure is that head teachers can make those resources go even further by allowing their schools to convert to academy status.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Michael Gove and Simon Danczuk

Monday 17th October 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. That is quite enough. Could I just remind the Secretary of State—I know that he tends to make this mistake—that he is not today at the Oxford Union making a speech, but answering questions in the Chamber of the House of Commons? He does so brilliantly, but from now on he will do so more briefly. That is the end of it.

[Simon Danczuk (Rochdale) (Lab)]

T9. Charities play an increasingly important role in education—indeed, the Secretary of State has been involved in a variety of charities. Can he assure the House that he took all appropriate steps to ensure that Atlantic Bridge did not abuse its charitable status?

[Michael Gove]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his question. I was proud to play my part in ensuring that the relationship between this country and the United States of America was strengthened, and I will always stand in favour of the Atlantic alliance. As a member of the advisory board of Atlantic Bridge, I took the opportunity, as I will on all platforms, to say that I believe—

School Sports Funding

Debate between Michael Gove and Simon Danczuk

Tuesday 30th November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

I am sharing some facts with the House.

The data requirements for school sport partnerships are exemplified in the school sport partnership self-review tool. We all know how onerous tick-box exercises can be, and that exercise has 115 boxes to tick. Every moment spent looking at the self-review tool is a moment that could be spent coaching, inspiring and acting to ensure that more children take part in sport, but unfortunately there is too much bureaucracy.

[Simon Danczuk (Rochdale) (Lab)]

Will the right hon. Gentleman give way?

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Nick Raynsford (Greenwich and Woolwich) (Lab)]

rose—

[Simon Danczuk]

rose—

[Michael Gove]

I am very happy to make way for the right hon. Member for Greenwich and Woolwich (Mr Raynsford). I do not know whether any of those are aspects of bureaucracy that he would be willing to defend.

--- Later in debate ---

[Michael Gove]

No—not at this stage. I was very generous in giving way earlier.

It is also important that we look at those figures more deeply in context. On schools where pupils regularly take part in intra-school competitions, in 1,280 secondary schools not a single pupil takes part in an intra-school competition. That equates to nearly one in three secondary schools where not a single intra-school competition takes place.

[Simon Danczuk]

Will the Secretary of State give way?

Education Funding

Debate between Michael Gove and Simon Danczuk

Monday 5th July 2010 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

Like me, the hon. Gentleman is sceptical about the way in which PFI operates. One of the problems with the BSF projects is the way in which the PFI programme was managed.

[Simon Danczuk (Rochdale) (Lab)]

What does the Secretary of State’s decision mean for school buildings in Rochdale?

[Michael Gove]

Again, if the hon. Gentleman can let me know whether his financial authority has reached financial close, I will be able to tell him. I will write to him, and a full list of schools is being put in the Library. In Rochdale, I think that all the schools will go ahead.