§ 17. Ms Rosie WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to establish a university for industry. [8613]
§ Dr. HowellsMy right hon. Friend hopes to announce our plans for developing the university for industry very shortly.
§ Ms WintertonI thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Does he agree that the key to improving skills and training is to bring together business, industry, education institutions and training providers with Government Departments to identify strategic priorities? What advice can he give businesses in my constituency which wish to become involved with the university for industry?
§ Dr. HowellsWe are consulting widely on the form and shape that the university for industry will take. Survey after survey has shown that one of the great weaknesses of British industry is the quality of its management. If the management of small and medium enterprises can begin to access the best of our larger and more successful firms and the better of our smaller firms, that will benefit everyone, especially those in the manufacturing sector that my hon. Friend mentioned.