Clause 23 - Condition that may be requried to be imposed by English funding bodies
Higher Education Bill
10:45 am
Mr Graham Allen (Nottingham North, Labour)
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for repeating my opening remarks about the need to look far beyond university admissions if we are to tackle this problem. Again, I urge my colleagues not to think of this as being merely a Labour issue. We need to sympathise with young working class kids in constituencies represented by other parties, including that of the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Mrs. Laing). It may surprise her to know that 30 per cent. of her constituents will be able to qualify for the full grant under the Government's proposals. I have the figures in front of me. That means that more than 30 per cent. of families in her constituency of Epping Forest will qualify if the youngsters are good enough and can obtain the necessary qualifications. Almost 68 per cent. of families in her constituency would qualify for a partial grant. Real things will happen in her constituency, too. This proposal is not only about helping kids in Leeds, East, in Nottingham, North or in any other Labour constituency.