Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Steve Baker Excerpts
Monday 3rd September 2012

(12 years, 3 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Michael Gove Portrait Michael Gove
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Let me congratulate the hon. Lady’s constituents on their achievements. I know that Wolverhampton, which I think held a marathon only this weekend, is a place of sporting excellence. Dame Kelly Holmes has done a fantastic job as adviser and continues to help us in every way, but although we should do everything possible to encourage the maximum participation in and enjoyment of sporting and physical education, compulsion of the kind that she has called for is not something I believe in.

Steve Baker Portrait Steve Baker(Wycombe) (Con)
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T9. Apprenticeships are being promoted vigorously by the Government, but what progress is being made on the higher levels and, in particular, on their quality?

John Hayes Portrait Mr Hayes
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Proust said:

“We do not receive wisdom, we must discover it for ourselves, after a journey”,

and a journey from the age of 16 to higher learning can be a journey down a practical pathway—no longer a cul-de-sac but a highway to higher learning. To that end, I am working to create 25,000 higher apprenticeships during this Parliament; when I became a Minister, there were 180.