Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Adam Afriyie Excerpts
Thursday 10th April 2014

(10 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Michael Fallon Portrait Michael Fallon
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Nobody has lost anything from the sale of Royal Mail. More than half the shares allocated to priority investors remain with those investors, and the share price has fluctuated wildly. I do not think the hon. Gentleman has been in touch with his broker recently; otherwise he would know that the share price closed last night at 17% down on its post-float peak.

Adam Afriyie Portrait Adam Afriyie (Windsor) (Con)
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14. What recent steps he has taken to encourage young people to get involved in business.

Matt Hancock Portrait The Minister for Skills and Enterprise (Matthew Hancock)
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Building links between the worlds of education and employment is a vital part of our reforms. I can announce to the House today that we are publishing the revised statutory guidance for schools on careers guidance and inspiration. This will drive links between schools and colleges and employers to inspire and mentor pupils, and there will be no excuse for schools and colleges not to open their doors to employers and no excuse for employers not to engage with schools and colleges. I will place a copy of the guidance in the Library.

Adam Afriyie Portrait Adam Afriyie
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I thank the Minister for that response and very much welcome the Government’s commitment to increasing access and exposure to, and experience of, business in schools, because it is through business and enterprise that people access social mobility, jobs and opportunity. Does he agree that we need constantly to seek better ways of connecting businesses with schools and ensuring that proper careers advice is provided by people with experience of business, rather than merely from teachers?

Matt Hancock Portrait Matthew Hancock
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Exactly. I pay tribute to the work that my hon. Friend does in bringing together employers and schools and colleges so that young people know what it takes to succeed in work. The strengthened statutory guidance that we are publishing today will help to drive that, alongside league tables that include not just exam results, as before, but pupils’ destinations.