All 1 Debates between Vince Cable and Anne Main

Mon 20th Feb 2012

Office for Fair Access

Debate between Vince Cable and Anne Main
Monday 20th February 2012

(12 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Vince Cable Portrait Vince Cable
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No, I was not, and it is not appropriate for me to investigate how the Select Committee came to its conclusions. I have already responded to it, and its Chairman, in a very proper way, has set out how it operates.

Anne Main Portrait Mrs Anne Main (St Albans) (Con)
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It is notable that, in defiance of the Select Committee, there have been no comments about why a minority report was not produced in the event that some people did not concur with the findings of the Select Committee. I therefore suggest that, by ignoring the Select Committee, we are doing a disservice to those Members who spent time considering the representations to the Committee. May I urge the Secretary of State to give the House an assurance that we will not allow the nuclear option to discriminate against pupils from high-achieving schools such as mine in St Albans?

Vince Cable Portrait Vince Cable
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I have already made it clear that there is no question of discriminating against people with ability. My constituency has two of the most successful independent schools in the country. I fully support their activities, and frequently visit them and work with them, so there is no question whatever of discrimination. Access is a much broader concept: it is helping people to realise their potential, and what can possibly be wrong with that?