Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Monday 16th April 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hayes]

My work across Government is constant—almost endless. In particular, we are working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions. Of course, I am a Minister in two Departments—I am not just a one-Department man, but a two-Department man—so the relationship between the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for Education and the DWP is critical to ensuring that our skills policy works across Departments.

[Mr Speaker]

The Minister expresses himself, as always, with the eloquence of Demosthenes, but I fancy that Demosthenes was somewhat briefer.

[Nicky Morgan (Loughborough) (Con)]

The Minister will be aware that good careers advice and guidance are critical in tackling this problem. What are the Government doing to ensure that such advice and guidance are embedded in local communities and available to all young people?

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[Mr Gibb]

That sounds like Greek to me! The Department deserves an A* for what it has achieved. We have already removed statutory burdens. Performance targets have gone. Changes have been made to consultation on the school day, and it is no longer necessary to appoint a school improvement partner or to prepare and publish a school profile. We have also abolished the absurd rule requiring parents to be given 24 hours’ notice of a detention. We have abolished the requirement to join behaviour and attendance partnerships, and we have removed 20,000 pages of guidance from schools. We have more than halved the guidance going to schools—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am grateful to the Minister of State, but can I ask him not to keep swivelling round? The House cannot hear what he is trying to say, although we wish to do so—[Interruption.] We are grateful to him, for the time being.

[Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab)]

I do not object to regulation as much as the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr Chope) does, so may I suggest one additional regulatory burden for schools—that every school and every child should have statutory and proper sex and relationship education? Notwithstanding the falls of recent years, this country still has a five times higher level of teenage pregnancy than Holland, and a quarter of this year’s terminations were by girls under 18. Please let us move forward.

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[Meg Hillier (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (Lab/Co-op)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Hackney South and Shoreditch has much to commend it, but it is rather a long way from Newcastle upon Tyne Central, so we will leave that one for another day.

[Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East) (Con)]

10. What proportion of secondary schools have academy status or are in the process of converting to academy status.

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[Mr Hayes]

I know of the good work of that school, and my hon. Friend has been a doughty champion of that good work. He is right that good vocational education is as important as good academic learning. For too long, we conned ourselves into believing that only through academic prowess could people gain a sense of worth and purpose. I believe it is time to elevate the practical; this Government will do so.

[Mr Speaker]

It is also important to me to reach the hon. Member for Chippenham (Duncan Hames).

[Duncan Hames (Chippenham) (LD)]

23. What support his Department provides to children who are home-educated; and if he will make a statement.

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[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I am sorry to disappoint colleagues but, as usual, demand outstrips supply.