Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Robert Halfon Excerpts
Monday 3rd December 2012

(11 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Matt Hancock Portrait Matthew Hancock
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Not only is the number of engineering apprenticeships up, but a higher proportion of young people are now starting STEM—science, technology, engineering and maths—degrees at university. That is going up, rather than down, as it was before. This is an area of huge concern to me and I am working extremely hard to try to put it right.

Robert Halfon Portrait Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con)
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Does my hon. Friend agree that the university technical colleges, one of which will open in Harlow in 2014, will transform vocational education and provide young people with a conveyor belt to pre-apprenticeships?

Matt Hancock Portrait Matthew Hancock
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Yes, I do. I was almost expecting an invitation to visit the UTC in Harlow, which I would love to see. UTCs across the country are about trying to fill the gap that has been left for far too long, and this Government are dealing with it.