Results 1-20 of 548 for (in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates') speaker:Stephen Williams

Business, Innovation and Skills: Higher Education (12 Nov 2009)

Stephen Williams: It is probably common ground between those on all three Front Benches that there is a problem of fair access to some of our research-intensive universities and to particular courses. Does the Minister not accept that the brave new world for which he is preparing the ground, with the connivance of those on the Conservative Front Bench, with fully variable market fees after the next general...

Bill Presented: Clause 47 — Provision of education for persons subject to youth detention (11 Nov 2009)

Stephen Williams: I have a couple of questions about the operation of the provisions in Lords amendment 64, which will give the young adult learners that the hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Mr. Hayes) has just mentioned—as well as their parents and, presumably, carers—the right to complain. Will the Minister explain in what circumstances he or his successor would seek to intervene...

Bill Presented: Clause 40 — Education and training for persons over compulsory school age: general duty (11 Nov 2009)

Stephen Williams: We have just had the experience of the penultimate chief executive of the LSC resigning in response to the capital programme fiasco. Who will require the chief executive of the YLPA to resign if something goes wrong on his or her watch?

Bill Presented: Clause 40 — Education and training for persons over compulsory school age: general duty (11 Nov 2009)

Stephen Williams: Madam Deputy Speaker, you and everyone else will be relieved that I do not have any musical, theatrical, cinematic, artistic or any other analogies to make in my short remarks. I am pleased that the Minister is so delighted by the capital investment in Hartlepool sixth-form college—he may indeed be its finest product—but that delight will not be shared by many of his Labour, let...

Bill Presented: Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill (11 Nov 2009)

Stephen Williams: I would like to begin by welcoming the Minister to our proceedings on this Bill. Two different Departments were responsible for the Bill when we began our progress with it through the House of Commons, but since then not only has there been a complete transformation of the ministerial team, but a completely new ministry has been created. In fact, I think that the Secretary of State for...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Skills for Growth (11 Nov 2009)

Stephen Williams: I welcome the fact that the Minister of State has come to the House today to make a statement on this announcement, in stark contrast to his colleague, the Minister for Higher Education and Intellectual Property, who on Monday made a written statement on the long-awaited fees review, which has angered thousands of students throughout the country, including about 100 presidents of student...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (28 Oct 2009) has video

Stephen Williams: Bristol's economy and environment suffers from poor public transport; we have high bus fares from a monopoly provider and far too few passenger trains on our local rail network. Will the Prime Minister instruct the Secretary of State for Transport to expedite plans for the Greater Bristol area to be given an integrated transport authority, so that service improvements can be brought about?

Opposition Day — [17th Allotted Day]: Higher Education (14 Oct 2009) has video

Stephen Williams: The hon. Lady mentioned students participating in higher education at age 40, many of whom will be studying part time. Does she think that it is about time that the Government removed the anomaly concerning those studying part time and those studying full time in higher education?

Opposition Day — [17th Allotted Day]: Higher Education (14 Oct 2009) has video

Stephen Williams: Many of us will have a sense of déjà vu today. Just before the summer recess, we had many debates and discussions about the crisis and shambles over which the Minister of State was at that time presiding—the lack of places in higher education to meet demand. This summer, on behalf of my party, I covered A-level results day. In previous years, the debate has been centred on...

Opposition Day — [17th Allotted Day]: Higher Education (14 Oct 2009) has video

Stephen Williams: It was a pleasure to serve on the Education and Skills Committee and the Children, Schools and Families Committee under the hon. Gentleman's chairmanship, and I learnt a lot from that excellent Select Committee process. If he is patient and stays for the rest of my speech, he may find that his question is answered. The sixth shambles over which this Department has presided—the problems...

Opposition Day — [17th Allotted Day]: Higher Education (14 Oct 2009) has video

Stephen Williams: Perhaps he is studying a letter carefully. Four years on, we know that there have been massive delays in processing these visa applications. International students are crucial not only to the financing of higher education in this country—bringing in some £4 billion of fees a year—but to the intellectual sustainability of many courses. Many such courses, especially those in...

Opposition Day — [17th Allotted Day]: Higher Education (14 Oct 2009) has video

Stephen Williams: The hon. Gentleman will know that the leader of my party was referring to the desperate state of the nation's finances and the reluctance of the present Government or the Conservatives to face up to the cuts that have to be made if we are to balance our national books, or to give any specific examples of how those cuts could be made. At least my party has put forward some specific examples,...

Opposition Day — [17th Allotted Day]: Higher Education (14 Oct 2009) has video

Stephen Williams: I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. I do not know, because he is sitting behind me, whether he was here when I referred to the access to learning fund and the cuts that the Government have made to it. I ask the Minister who sums up to address that point. At the next general election I will certainly reaffirm my party's commitment to abolish the current fees model for funding higher...

Opposition Day — [17th Allotted Day]: Higher Education (14 Oct 2009) has video

Stephen Williams: In his response to the hon. Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts), the Minister said that many students drop out of their studies at this stage. Does he recognise that the reason why a lot do so in their first year is financial hardship, and that the current situation makes it more likely that students will drop out?

Business, Innovation and Skills: Graduate Job Prospects (16 Jul 2009) has video

Stephen Williams: Graduation parties taking place around the country at the moment are not the joyful occasions that some of us might remember, as graduates discuss their miserable job prospects. Yesterday, we heard the announcement of the Government's aspirations for green jobs and a greener economy, but we cannot meet our 2020 climate change targets without investment in skills—particularly in our...

Opposition Day — [15th Allotted Day]: Young People in the Recession (6 Jul 2009)

Stephen Williams: Will the Minister give way?

Opposition Day — [15th Allotted Day]: Young People in the Recession (6 Jul 2009)

Stephen Williams: We are having this debate against the background of a deep and deepening recession. However, the 2009 recession does not necessarily have the characteristics of previous recessions. It is not necessarily characterised by large lay-offs in particular trades, such as shipping and steel. Furthermore, it will not necessarily be geographically concentrated and it is not the result of an external...

Opposition Day — [15th Allotted Day]: Young People in the Recession (6 Jul 2009)

Stephen Williams: rose—

Opposition Day — [15th Allotted Day]: Young People in the Recession (6 Jul 2009)

Stephen Williams: I think that the record will show that over the past four years the contributions by this Front-Bench spokesperson have usually been somewhat briefer than those of the mover of the motion, but I shall endeavour to speed up. The hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings may be tempting me down the path of the announcement on quangos made by his leader. As regards the Higher Education...

Opposition Day — [15th Allotted Day]: Young People in the Recession (6 Jul 2009)

Stephen Williams: I am entirely happy to provide the Minister with that clarification. The official position today is the same as it was yesterday, a year ago, and at the time of the 2005 general election. My party remains opposed to the tuition fees method of funding higher education; at the next general election I, like all my fellow candidates, will be standing on that platform. Just as at the last general...