Speeches by Dixon.

“I would be grateful for an update specifically on that.”

“Obviously, the concern is that the affordability issues hit those who can least afford it and do not have access to cars because of cost. I would be keen to get any further breakdowns of that.”

“We have talked about lots of different grants. Even as a Committee member, I am still a little confused, so I am not sure how it is for those in receipt of these funding allocations. There are many different pots, many of them short term, and many have previously been extended at short notice. I know that DfT is now lo…”

“We have talked a bit about money and the public subsidy; the Public Accounts Committee is particularly interested in whether we are getting value for money for the public purse. Obviously, the subsidy peaked during the pandemic at 77% of revenue, and while there has been some recovery, it is now at 50% of revenue. Do y…”

“On the public subsidy for socially necessary services, with local authorities’ budgets being very squeezed, we have seen Bradford council having to review school buses, which obviously makes it very difficult for parents to be confident that their children can get to school safely and on time. Would you see some of the…”

“That is very encouraging; thank you.”

“The point is that, if the commercial services were operating more in the public interest, we might have less need for school buses. It seems that the two things could be better co-ordinated, but I appreciate that the money is in different places. The final point on money is capital, which you mentioned earlier. One of …”

“Capital.”

“I am from one of the areas, West Yorkshire, pressing ahead with franchising. The mayor has great ambitions for the Weaver Network and integrated transport system. But I echo some of my colleague Clive Betts’ concerns that we are holding out a lot of benefits that franchising would deliver and yet we are hearing about p…”

“And do the benefits outweigh the risks?”

“Earlier this week, I spoke to Aid to the Church in Need, particularly about the situation for Christians in Syria. Hon. Members are obviously well aware of the recent suicide bombing of the St Elias Orthodox church in Damascus, and Christian communities are still facing persecution, including with destructive fires. Do…”

“I beg to move, That this House has considered Government support for further education institutions. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Christopher. Up and down the country, further education institutions are educating and training 1.6 million people, providing them with the skills they need. These col…”

“I agree that we must open up access to education for all, including carers. Further education colleges require significant investment to upgrade and maintain their buildings and ensure that they can provide a modern learning environment and access to up-to-date technology. However, staff tell me that their ambitions fo…”

“I entirely agree that the FE college apprenticeships—these other routes—are important for disadvantaged children. I will expand on that in a moment. I am delighted that this Labour Government are committed to equipping the workforce with the skills they need to rebuild Britain, including through the establishment of Sk…”

“I am certainly happy to commend the leader of my hon. Friend’s local IOT. I recognise the contribution that IOTs make to training the next generation in all sorts of careers; they prepare them for the demands of some highly skilled roles in defence. FE colleges are not just about supporting our young people; they also …”

“Indeed, and I note that FE colleges, on average, have a higher number of SEND pupils than others. They give really good opportunities for children with additional needs to thrive and to go on and educate, so I commend the work of her local college.”

“I am pleased to hear that the Labour Government have secured the future of Harrogate college. I also agree that it is vital that, as the workplace changes, people keep their skills up to date with lifelong learning, so it is essential that we protect and maintain adult education funding. I would like to hear from the M…”

“My hon. Friend is a great champion for her area and for rural communities. I agree that there are particular challenges for colleges seeking to deliver such a breadth of education and many different sorts of qualifications, and I know that the Government are looking at review and reform of that. Let me turn to T-levels…”

“I want to make some progress. There have been recent innovations in further education with the introduction of T-levels. As a member of the Public Accounts Committee, I contributed to the inquiry that found that T-levels are a great option for many students, and it would be great to see them rolled out further, but tha…”

“I will give way first to the hon. Member for West Dorset (Edward Morello).”