Higher Education Reform Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Higher Education Reform

Mike Amesbury Excerpts
Monday 17th July 2023

(1 year, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Gillian Keegan Portrait Gillian Keegan
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I know that my right hon. Friend is a huge champion of Anglia Ruskin University. I am delighted about the number of medical doctors and the new medical schools, which, as she said, were introduced under this Government. When I was the Apprenticeships and Skills Minister, one of the last things I did, and which I am most proud about, was to get a medical doctors apprenticeship standard built, and I am delighted that that is being rolled out from September. I look forward to Anglia Ruskin offering that as well.

Mike Amesbury Portrait Mike Amesbury (Weaver Vale) (Lab)
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I was the first in my family to get a university degree—I hope that I am not the last. Will the Secretary of State confirm that the Tory party is the party of the blockers—blocking aspiration and opportunity in higher education as well as the building of affordable houses?

Gillian Keegan Portrait Gillian Keegan
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No, I think that the hon. Member has got it completely wrong. Under the Conservatives, an 18-year-old from a disadvantaged background is 86% more likely to go to university than they were in 2010. Under Labour, the richest students were seven times more likely to go to university than the poorest 40% in society.