Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Nic Dakin Excerpts
Monday 17th October 2011

(12 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Michael Gove Portrait Michael Gove
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A beautifully tailored bid from my hon. Friend! We will look as favourably as we can on all schools that were overlooked by the previous Government’s BSF programme.

Nic Dakin Portrait Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe) (Lab)
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The Association of Colleges has surveyed its members and found a fall in recruitment to colleges this autumn. What steps is the Secretary of State putting in place to monitor and evaluate the effect on student recruitment, retention and achievement of his decision to scrap the education maintenance allowance?

Michael Gove Portrait Michael Gove
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I was interested to look at the Association of Colleges survey, which showed that an equal number of colleges were, in fact, attracting more students. The truth is that there is increased competition among colleges to attract students, with strong colleges, like the one of which the hon. Gentleman used to be the principal, doing a fantastic job, but with weaker colleges—of which, sadly, there are still one or two—having to up their game.