Part of Higher Education Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 10:45 am on 26 February 2004.
Is the hon. Gentleman aware that behind the scenes at the Department for Education and Skills, a degree of wrestling with conscience is taking place? Did he see the comments made by the Secretary of State's predecessor, the Minister for the Arts, the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley (Estelle Morris), about her conflict over the issue? She said:
''I do think if you are leading the policy it's got to be your policy, you've got to own it, you've got to live, sleep, eat, breathe it, you've got to be 110 per cent. behind it and I wasn't.''