Higher Education Fees

Debate between Baroness Primarolo and Sam Gyimah

Thursday 9th December 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gyimah]

The truth is that under our current system, it is the middle classes who benefit the most. The people whom the hon. Lady defends are not getting to university, and we need to reform the system so that university is not the same for everyone—three years on campus, costing the same amount of money. There need to be more options for people to get to university over time.

Tony Blair gave an aspirational target of 50% going to university, and I actually like that aspiration. I am glad that, with this policy, we can continue to drive aspiration forward. The past was not right, because there was no utopia of social mobility. The present is letting students down, because they are not getting jobs—

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dawn Primarolo)]

Order. Time is up.

Public Services (Social Enterprise and Social Value) Bill

Debate between Baroness Primarolo and Sam Gyimah

Friday 19th November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gyimah]

Does my hon. Friend think that the new version of the Bill should cover the qualifications to do with contracting? It is all well and good having a strategy that states that small businesses and social enterprises need to be considered, but the lengthy forms that they have to fill in and the qualification criteria are just as difficult a hurdle for them as being recognised in the first place.

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dawn Primarolo)]

Order. When Members make interventions, could they please face the Chair because it is sometimes difficult for me to hear what is being said? It is not a private conversation between two Members; it needs to be recorded for Hansard.