Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Nadhim Zahawi Excerpts
Monday 24th March 2014

(10 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Elizabeth Truss Portrait Elizabeth Truss
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I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. I think that we are at about 90% of our target for this year. It is vital that we get more people into maths teaching, so we have removed the cap on maths teacher recruitment and we are awarding the highest level of scholarships and bursaries to maths. Importantly, we also need more people doing maths at A-level, and we now have record numbers under this Government. We also have record numbers doing further maths at A-level and doing maths degrees. That will increase the supply of maths teachers in future.

Nadhim Zahawi Portrait Nadhim Zahawi (Stratford-on-Avon) (Con)
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6. What progress has been made on the Shakespeare schools festival.

Michael Gove Portrait The Secretary of State for Education (Michael Gove)
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I am delighted to be able to support and fund the Shakespeare schools festival. We have provided nearly £500,000 to give students the opportunity to prepare and perform an abridged version of a Shakespeare play. More than 1,000 schools—over 62,000 students—have already benefited, and 50,000 more students should benefit this year.

Nadhim Zahawi Portrait Nadhim Zahawi
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In this special anniversary year, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s fantastic Shakespeare week has brought the works of the great bard to thousands of children across the country. Will the Secretary of State join me on 29 April to watch the talented students of Stratford-on-Avon mark the 450th anniversary of the bard’s birth in a special performance in the Speaker’s state apartments?

Michael Gove Portrait Michael Gove
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Mr Speaker, to visit your apartments,

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments.”

Yes is the short answer to my hon. Friend.