Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nick Boles and Gordon Henderson

Tuesday 15th December 2015 Commons Chamber

[Nick Boles]

No.

[Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne and Sheppey) (Con)]

8. What steps his Department is taking to establish a further education college in Sittingbourne.

[The Minister for Skills (Nick Boles)]

The House is making me earn my salary today.

We have launched a process of locally-led area reviews to consider each area’s skills needs and plan how further education colleges and sixth form colleges can best organise themselves to meet them. The Kent review is due to start in November 2016.

[Gordon Henderson]

I welcome the review. Sittingbourne is the largest town in Kent without its own FE college. However, we have a unique opportunity to change that. May I invite the Minister to visit the Swale skills centre in my constituency to learn about how, with the right help, it could easily and cheaply be extended into a small college?

[Nick Boles]

I have had a message from the Whips saying that they would be only too delighted for me to do further visits to hon. Members’ constituencies, so I would be delighted to visit my hon. Friend’s constituency. We do not hear the Opposition celebrating when new institutions open, including the Swale skills centre, which was set up by a very successful academies trust that is already doing a great job of running three local schools.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nick Boles and Gordon Henderson

Monday 12th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Nick Boles]

Perhaps if the hon. Lady had checked, she would have discovered that the consultation was published an hour ago. Unlike her, I have met the leader of Bromley council. I explained to him that he retains, as do all local authorities, the right to issue an article 4 direction to set aside a particular permitted development where it is not appropriate for the area that they represent. That has always been the case and will remain the case with these permitted development rights, which are very popular across the country.

[Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne and Sheppey) (Con)]

12. What initiatives his Department has put in place to support access by householders to municipal rubbish and recycling centres.