All 2 Debates between Lord Willetts and Sam Gyimah

Tue 10th May 2011

Off-quota University Places

Debate between Lord Willetts and Sam Gyimah
Tuesday 10th May 2011

(13 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.

Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.

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Lord Willetts Portrait Mr Willetts
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It is absolutely not our intention that such purchasing of places at university should happen. That is why the criteria that I have set out are absolutely clear on fair access. People should not be able to buy places at university. We are not proposing what the hon. Gentleman claims.

Sam Gyimah Portrait Mr Sam Gyimah (East Surrey) (Con)
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Employers, among others, benefit from well-educated students. Is it not right that if we can find a way for them to share in that burden, we should use it, rather than jumping in and getting over-excited at the mere mention of them?

Lord Willetts Portrait Mr Willetts
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Indeed, the previous Government, towards the end of their time in office, produced a report, “Higher Ambitions”, which on page 47 specifically calls for employers to be more engaged. It says that

“businesses have a crucial role in the funding and design of programmes, in the sponsorship of students”.

We are trying to ensure that more employers have the opportunity that was talked about by the previous Government, but which, not for the first time, they failed to deliver.

Higher Education Funding

Debate between Lord Willetts and Sam Gyimah
Wednesday 3rd November 2010

(13 years, 12 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lord Willetts Portrait Mr Willetts
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I do not recognise the figure of £70,000, and of course there is continuing support from the Department of Health towards the costs of medical education.

Sam Gyimah Portrait Mr Sam Gyimah (East Surrey) (Con)
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Does the Minister agree that one purpose of higher education is to equip our students for the workplace, and that by allowing the money to follow the students, we can put real pressure on universities and force them to up their game?

Lord Willetts Portrait Mr Willetts
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One of the big sources of frustration for students at the moment is that they do not feel that they get enough practical experience of the world of work while they are at university, and they do not think they are properly prepared for it. That is why we are asking all universities to produce a statement of what they are doing to ensure employability for their students. We want much more, and much more precise, information to be available in future so that prospective students can see the graduate employment prospects of individual courses at individual universities.