Higher Education

Part of Opposition Day — [5th allotted day] – in the House of Commons at 9:42 pm on 8 January 2008.

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Photo of Bill Rammell Bill Rammell Minister of State (Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education), Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills 9:42, 8 January 2008

We have genuinely had an exceedingly good debate about an important issue. What has come across strongly is that across the House there is a genuine commitment on these important issues.

I strongly believe that the issue of part-timers and adults in higher education is hugely important to every community in the country and to us as a nation. As Sandy Leitch's thought-provoking, challenging analysis of our skills needs until the end of the next decade made clear, if we are to remain competitive, we need to do much better in getting people to the highest skills levels. He identified that to be globally competitive we need to increase the proportion of the working-age population with a higher education qualification from 29 per cent. today to 40 per cent. by the end of the next decade.

That is a challenging target. Even if we achieve it, it will move us from 10th place in the international league table just into the upper quartile. The target is stiff and challenging; that is why as a country and as a Government we have to ensure that the highest priority for public, taxpayers' funding is people who are not yet at the first-degree level; that is why that has to come first.

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Caroline Taylor
Posted on 27 Feb 2008 12:56 pm (Report this annotation)

Why is there no funding for distance learning? I have taken time of to complete a fellowship which i do as a distance learning course so i can be home for my son and it suits me better than going to college because i am married to a serviceman which means we move around a lot, in fact we've moved three times in the last two years. So you can imagine the difficulty settling into a college then having to move on months later to start all over again. Doing a distance learning course has meant there isn't that stress and hassle filling forms and re-registering with another college. But what bothers me is that the government does not recognise distance learning as a valid way of learning and provides no funding for it. I find this unfair when you consider the government supports and funds other causes such as drug addiction and alcoholism yet something so worthwhile indicating a person is trying to better themselves is overlooked. How is this fair? I get no support from the government at all, i receive no benefits so my family and I literally just manage.... yet others get paid for doing nothing!