Social Mobility Commission Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Social Mobility Commission

Philip Hollobone Excerpts
Monday 4th December 2017

(6 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Robert Goodwill Portrait Mr Goodwill
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Once again, I must repeat that while there are changes in relative poverty, absolute poverty has fallen.

Philip Hollobone Portrait Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)
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Education is key to improving social mobility, so will the Minister ensure that the new commissioners who are appointed recognise the benefits of, and draw inspiration from, the fact that the proportion of pupils attending good or outstanding schools has increased from 66% in 2010 to 87% today?

Robert Goodwill Portrait Mr Goodwill
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right. One of the best routes out of poverty—out of the trap that social mobility failures often put people in—is a good education. I am very pleased that we have more good school places than ever before, that more people from underprivileged backgrounds are going to university, and that more people than ever before are taking the other opportunities such as apprenticeships and training.