To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her Department's budget for scientific advice and research is in 2008-09; for what purposes the equivalent budget for 2007-08 was used; and how many people employed in her Department have a science or engineering degree.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her Department's budget for scientific advice and research is in 2008-09; for what purposes the equivalent budget for 2007-08 was used; and how many people employed in her Department have a science or engineering degree.

Queen's speech debate (third day) on employment, universities and skills and housing.

Queen's speech debate (third day) on employment, universities and skills and housing.

It is a great privilege to have been elected to this Chamber and to have the opportunity this evening to make my maiden speech. The traditions of this Chamber bring many benefits—I am told that this is a prime education forum. Had I been making an address in another educational...

It is a great privilege to have been elected to this Chamber and to have the opportunity this evening to make my maiden speech. The traditions of this Chamber bring many benefits—I am told that this is a prime education forum. Had I been making an address in another educational...

I thank the hon. Gentleman, and I congratulate him on his by-election victory of not that long ago. I must give credit where credit is due. With regard to the closures to which he refers, one was scheduled in another part of my constituency, Ullapool, but the Government have backed...

I thank the hon. Gentleman, and I congratulate him on his by-election victory of not that long ago. I must give credit where credit is due. With regard to the closures to which he refers, one was scheduled in another part of my constituency, Ullapool, but the Government have backed...

I do not have long, but it would be remiss of me not to commend the maiden speech by the hon. Member for Glenrothes (Lindsay Roy), which was assured and witty. Let me also put on record my strong support for what my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, East...

I do not have long, but it would be remiss of me not to commend the maiden speech by the hon. Member for Glenrothes (Lindsay Roy), which was assured and witty. Let me also put on record my strong support for what my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, East...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

My hon. Friend is very generous in giving way. The university of Wolverhampton is a large university and one of the top 10 in terms of numbers of students. However, the QR funding that it receives—its research is judged to be of national importance, not international importance—is some £200,000 a...

My hon. Friend is very generous in giving way. The university of Wolverhampton is a large university and one of the top 10 in terms of numbers of students. However, the QR funding that it receives—its research is judged to be of national importance, not international importance—is some £200,000 a...

The figures that count are as follows. Compared with the announcements that I made in July 2007, we will invest a further £100 million in student financial support. Two thirds of students will get a full or partial grant. The percentage of students getting a full grant will not be...

The figures that count are as follows. Compared with the announcements that I made in July 2007, we will invest a further £100 million in student financial support. Two thirds of students will get a full or partial grant. The percentage of students getting a full grant will not be...

I am full of sympathy for the hon. Gentleman. The world has changed since then, and many more young people are going to university. We celebrate that fact. Of course, the number of young people going to university surged during the years when we were in government. The hon. Gentleman's...

I am full of sympathy for the hon. Gentleman. The world has changed since then, and many more young people are going to university. We celebrate that fact. Of course, the number of young people going to university surged during the years when we were in government. The hon. Gentleman's...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The overseas students who come to study here are not only welcome but are an important part of our education system. They enrich the institutions to which they come to study. It is fundamentally the investment that we have made as a Government in...

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The overseas students who come to study here are not only welcome but are an important part of our education system. They enrich the institutions to which they come to study. It is fundamentally the investment that we have made as a Government in...

Does the hon. Gentleman accept that what really matters is the number of people who complete their apprenticeship, and does he accept that the number of people completing a level 3 apprenticeship has at least doubled?

Does the hon. Gentleman accept that what really matters is the number of people who complete their apprenticeship, and does he accept that the number of people completing a level 3 apprenticeship has at least doubled?

Members in all parts of the House who have an interest in skills and training and housing have had an unusual number of changes to the timing of the debate. We all understood the passions of the House on the very different matter that we have just debated. The present...

Members in all parts of the House who have an interest in skills and training and housing have had an unusual number of changes to the timing of the debate. We all understood the passions of the House on the very different matter that we have just debated. The present...

Another fact that the Secretary of State conveniently left out is that the apprenticeship schemes are paid for in full for 16 to 18-year-olds, but as soon as someone reaches 19, the money is split in half, thereby dissuading a lot of people from continuing apprenticeships over the age of...

Another fact that the Secretary of State conveniently left out is that the apprenticeship schemes are paid for in full for 16 to 18-year-olds, but as soon as someone reaches 19, the money is split in half, thereby dissuading a lot of people from continuing apprenticeships over the age of...

We are talking about the Government's figures for the number of advanced apprentices in training, and that number is going down. The Secretary of State has renamed what in the past were youth training schemes and the youth opportunities programme. They are now called apprenticeships instead, so that he can...

We are talking about the Government's figures for the number of advanced apprentices in training, and that number is going down. The Secretary of State has renamed what in the past were youth training schemes and the youth opportunities programme. They are now called apprenticeships instead, so that he can...

The hon. Gentleman knows, if he has been listening, that we will invest £100 million a year more than we planned when we announced changes in 2007. Also, significantly more students—we think 40 per cent. rather than 33 per cent. of students—will get the full grant, and all students will...

The hon. Gentleman knows, if he has been listening, that we will invest £100 million a year more than we planned when we announced changes in 2007. Also, significantly more students—we think 40 per cent. rather than 33 per cent. of students—will get the full grant, and all students will...

I thank the Secretary of State for giving way. It is very generous of him. Will he answer the question posed by my hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) earlier? How many students will be worse off as a result of changes to maintenance grants? We would like...

I thank the Secretary of State for giving way. It is very generous of him. Will he answer the question posed by my hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) earlier? How many students will be worse off as a result of changes to maintenance grants? We would like...

It is not for me as Secretary of State in any way to seek to determine the questions that Opposition Members ask. That may or may not be the case. The measures that the Government announced in the legislative programme in the Queen's Speech and the measures that they support...

It is not for me as Secretary of State in any way to seek to determine the questions that Opposition Members ask. That may or may not be the case. The measures that the Government announced in the legislative programme in the Queen's Speech and the measures that they support...

And will ask the same question again.

And will ask the same question again.

My hon. Friend is right and, contrary to the caricature painted by the Secretary of State, one of our many proposals is to refocus Train to Gain on supporting apprenticeships by ensuring that that completely unacceptable age discrimination is abolished. No longer will people get full funding for an apprenticeship...

My hon. Friend is right and, contrary to the caricature painted by the Secretary of State, one of our many proposals is to refocus Train to Gain on supporting apprenticeships by ensuring that that completely unacceptable age discrimination is abolished. No longer will people get full funding for an apprenticeship...

Yes. If in the absence of an intervention from the Secretary of State the hon. Gentleman will help with my inquiry, I will be grateful.

Yes. If in the absence of an intervention from the Secretary of State the hon. Gentleman will help with my inquiry, I will be grateful.