All 1 Debates between Nick Gibb and Lord Watson of Wyre Forest

Thu 16th Jun 2011

Academies (Funding)

Debate between Nick Gibb and Lord Watson of Wyre Forest
Thursday 16th June 2011

(13 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nick Gibb Portrait Mr Gibb
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My hon. Friend raises a point that I was too sensitive to raise with the Opposition spokesman—namely, that our policies were endorsed in The Sun yesterday by the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair. Furthermore, the former schools Minister, Lord Adonis, voted for our Academies Bill in the other place, supporting our expansion of the academies programme. I wish that the official Opposition would now support it too.

Lord Watson of Wyre Forest Portrait Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East) (Lab)
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Is the Minister familiar with the maxim that a Minister can delegate power but not responsibility? Why does he not just say sorry to parents and pupils?

Nick Gibb Portrait Mr Gibb
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We are not denying responsibility. We are taking action to simplify the over-complex funding system that we inherited, which led to problems such as these in previous years.