Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Nadhim Zahawi Excerpts
Thursday 6th March 2014

(10 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Matt Hancock Portrait Matthew Hancock
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That is properly a matter for the Department for Education but, as I am also a Minister there I will take this opportunity to explain that we are introducing stronger statutory guidance. There was no guidance for schools before, so we have introduced a new legal requirement on them to secure independent and impartial advice, and we are introducing stronger statutory guidance to ensure that they do so, alongside the new National Careers Service, which this Government introduced.

Nadhim Zahawi Portrait Nadhim Zahawi (Stratford-on-Avon) (Con)
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I will meet representatives of Jaguar Land Rover tomorrow to discuss their vision for their Gaydon headquarters. As it is international women’s day on 8 March, I will also be discussing the work they do to encourage women and girls to take up science, technology, engineering and maths. The Secretary of State is passionate about getting more women on boards and, importantly, into all sort of industries, so will he join me in celebrating international women’s day and reminding businesses that they need to do their bit to encourage more women into the sciences?

Lord Willetts Portrait The Minister for Universities and Science (Mr David Willetts)
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right. To encourage more women into science, we have specifically said that when universities bid for the new capital funding we are allocating to them, they will be required to show what they are doing to attract women into those essential subjects.