Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Patricia Gibson and Gavin Williamson

Monday 18th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[David Linden (Glasgow East) (SNP)]

What assessment he has made of the effect of the end of the transition period on (a) further and (b) higher education.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Gavin Williamson)]

We have worked with the sector on the steps it needed to take following the transition period. This included questions around participation in European Union programmes, migration and student support arrangements. We are replacing the European social fund via the UK shared prosperity fund and introducing the new Turing scheme.

[Patricia Gibson [V]]

Before Brexit, EU students contributed £1.2 billion to the UK economy annually, boosting the profile of UK universities globally and helping to support the pipeline of talented science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates and medical graduates. With the reality of excessively high international student fees, many EU students will choose to study elsewhere, so how will the Secretary of State ensure that the Turing scheme, a poor replacement for Erasmus, is as effective in encouraging inward student mobility?

[Gavin Williamson]

The Turing scheme is not a poor replacement, but a brilliant replacement for Erasmus. It is about us looking around the globe as to how we can expand opportunities for students. Yes, there are many, many brilliant higher education student institutes right across Europe, but there are so many more right across the world, whether in the United States or Canada, whether in India or China or whether in Australia and so many other places. That is what we are going to be giving young people the opportunity to release, and they will have the opportunity to go and study there as well.

Free School Meals: Summer Holidays

Debate between Patricia Gibson and Gavin Williamson

Tuesday 16th June 2020 Commons Chamber

[Gavin Williamson]

My hon. Friend is correct in her assessment: the best place to really benefit children is school. She is also right to highlight the amazing work that is done by so many voluntary organisations throughout the country.

[Patricia Gibson]

The Secretary of State will perhaps recall that last year the Children’s Future Food inquiry was published. One of its recommendations was that an independent UK watchdog for children’s food should be established immediately, so that we have committed and energetic leadership to deliver for children. Such a watchdog has not been established; are there are any plans to establish one? What are the obstacles to doing so?

[Gavin Williamson]

I will write to the hon. Member with the details on that.