Westminster Weekly 9 - 16 May 2008

1. MPs sign NUS motions on student housing

MPs have this week signed two new EDMs on student housing tabled by Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland.

The first EDM relates to tenancy deposit protection, which is not guaranteed in houses of with annual rental incomes of over £25,000. This means that an estimated 40% of students in London and the South East are not protected, and 10% of students elsewhere.

The second EDM relates to educational establishments taking a long while to return deposits. NUS/Unipol estimates that over 50% of deposits taken are not returned to students within two months of their tenancies ending and some take many months.

These EDMs can be viewed here:

Tenancy Deposit Protection

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35834&SESSION=891

Return of Student Deposits

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35833&SESSION=891

2. NUS praised in debate on anti-Semitism

The National Union of Students was praised in a debate on anti-Semitism in Parliament on Thursday. John Mann, MP for Bassetlaw drew attention to a recent seminar with young Jewish students and Minister for Students, Baroness Morgan.

Mr Mann praised NUS:

“It is possible to make real progress in the universities. We saw that with the action of the National Union of Students, which is now one of the leading bodies in being intolerant of intolerance; it has directly tackled anti-Semitism. Its action helped to build confidence, to end discrimination in university timetabling and to provide institutional university leadership that is minded to take swift action on the basis of clear written policies on what should be done. I believe that, over the next year, we will see even faster and more positive change in the universities, which is vital.”

3. Gordon Brown outlines new education bill

Further details have been made available about a new education bill, which was announced to the House of Commons by Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Wednesday as part of his new draft legislative programme.

The legislative programme proposes a better-trained workforce and greater opportunity for young people and adults. The measures will include the legal right for employees to request time to train and legislation to expand and strengthen apprenticeships.

4. NUS to host fringe at Compass Conference

The National Union of Students will be hosting a breakout session at Compass Conference on 14 June. Speakers will include Bill Rammell, Higher Education Minister; Baroness Helena Kennedy QC and Professor Claire Callender.

For more information about Compass Conference, visit the website here:

http://www.compassonline.org.uk/conference/

5. Rammell makes statement on HE Student Support

Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell announced on Tuesday that the level of support for loans, grants and fees that will be available to eligible higher education students in the 2009-10 academic year will be broadly 2.6 per cent. higher than for 2008-09, in line with forecast price increases.

6. Parliamentary Questions

Soulsby - Grants for students

Date: Thursday, 15 May 2008

Sir Peter Soulsby (Leicester, South) (Lab): Last week, I met the principal of the excellent Leicester college and was again reminded of the work that the Government have done to make available allowances and grants to enable students to participate in further and higher education. However, I was disturbed to hear that, in some sections, there was still a low level of awareness of the availability of such grants. Will the Minister assure me that steps will be taken to ensure that all students who could benefit from such allowances and grants are made aware of their availability and enabled to take them up?

Bill Rammell: In both further and higher education, we are committing a significant amount of resource and effort to getting that message across. There is radio, TV and online advertising, and we have gone out of our way to do this not only from a Government perspective but through working with the Association of Colleges, with universities and with the National Union of Students to get the message across. If there is one person who is unaware of the provision, that is a challenge for us, but we will keep on trying to get the facts across.

Taylor, David - Open University (ELQ funding)

Date: Thursday, 15 May 2008

David Taylor (North-West Leicestershire) (Lab/Co-op): All Prime Ministers, particularly Labour Prime Ministers, look to their legacy at some point. One of the finest achievements of the third Labour Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, was the creation of the Open university, which is now in its fifth decade. Could my hon. Friend reassure me about the future of that institution, in which I was a student and for which I worked at one time? The changes being made to ELQs seem to be having a damaging effect on the medium-term prospects of what has been a wonderful British institution with an international reputation.

Bill Rammell: I agree with my hon. Friend's sentiments about the Open university. Indeed, a couple of weeks ago I spoke at the annual conference of the Open university students association-much to my surprise, I got two rounds of applause. Even with the changes, it is important to make it clear that the Open university's budget for next year is increasing, by £4 million more than this year. The real challenge is getting institutions with a fine track record, such as the Open university, Birkbeck college and others, to go out into the workplace and tackle the skills needs of the 6 million people who are educated to A-level, but who have not yet gone on to degree level education.

Cunningham - Students and further and higher education

Date: Thursday, 15 May 2008

7. Mr. Jim Cunningham (Coventry, South) (Lab): What recent steps the Government have taken to increase the numbers of students participating in further and higher education. [205666]

The Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education (Bill Rammell): Increasing participation and the nation's skills is key to unlocking individual talent and to long-term economic and social well-being. We are increasing learning opportunities and strengthening demand from young people and adults, through measures including better information, advice and guidance; skills accounts; an improved level of higher education student support; new courses co-funded with employers; the new university challenge; and increased capital investment in the further and higher education sectors.

Mr. Cunningham: I thank my hon. Friend for that answer, but will he tell me what he is doing to improve the provision of information for young people who want to become students?

Bill Rammell: This is a critically important area. We have made huge progress educationally in the past 11 years, but I acknowledge that one of the areas in which we have the most to do is advice and guidance. An initiative that we announced recently, the Aimhigher Associates programme, is critically important in this regard. It will involve 5,500 undergraduates going into schools, working alongside young people and helping them with their UCAS applications. We still hear too often of instances of young people in schools not getting the appropriate advice and guidance. We need to look at providing incentives to schools to make this more of a priority, and I am discussing that matter with my colleagues in the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Wilson - Higher education (access)

Date: Thursday, 15 May 2008

Mr. Rob Wilson (Reading, East) (Con): Despite the Government's huge spending to encourage the participation rates of people from lower socio-economic backgrounds in higher education, those rates remain little changed since 1999. Government policy and numerous initiatives have failed, so what does the Minister think went wrong and what does he plan to do differently in the two years he has left?

Bill Rammell: The hon. Gentleman really does need to check the figures on this matter. If we look at university applications-[Interruption.] The hon. Gentleman will find this if he looks carefully. University applications for last year were up by more than 6 per cent. and they are up again by more than 6 per cent. this year. Among students from lower socio-economic groups, the proportions are increasing, albeit not at the rate that I would wish. That is why we are committing significant resources as a Government to make further improvement.