HC Deb 29 April 2004 vol 420 cc997-8
8. Dr. Brian Iddon (Bolton, South-East) (Lab)

What resources are available to support innovative projects that bring nine to 19-year-olds closer to an understanding of science, engineering and technology in industry. [169212]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Skills (Mr. Stephen Twigg)

The Department makes available £25 million a year through local learning and skills councils to promote closer links between schools and businesses. The new programme of study for key stage 4 and vocational GCSEs in applied science and engineering aims to give a broader understanding of science and engineering. Science learning centres and science and engineering specialist colleges encourage teachers to make links with local businesses and universities.

Dr. Iddon

The Northwest Development Agency has provided £2.3 million to build Bolton technical innovation centre, which is the first junior incubator in the United Kingdom. The local education authority will ensure that all nine to 19-year-olds have access to the building, which will be open in the evenings, at the weekends and throughout the school holidays. Industry also has access to the building and is providing state-of-the-art equipment and seconding staff to show pupils how to use it. Does my hon. Friend agree that, to ensure the success of innovative projects such as the Bolton TIC, we must ensure a steady stream of revenue funding instead of expecting them continually to rely on the bid culture?

Mr. Twigg

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for highlighting an excellent example of innovation. He was too modest to mention the fact that he chairs the board of Bolton TIC, but I pay tribute to his personal role in doing that. I know that he has written to the Secretary of State on this matter, and we shall consider his suggestions. He rightly highlights the great challenge that we face to encourage more young people to study science and engineering, and Bolton TIC plays a very important role in that regard.

Sir Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield) (Con)

The Minister will know that the corporation of Macclesfield college was very disappointed that the Macclesfield learning zone was not successful in the first tranche of learning zone projects, bearing in mind the fact that a successful application would have resulted in a new college on the same site as a new secondary school, which would have enabled the college to provide the facilities and expertise for engineering, technology and science. If the college makes proposals for improvement, will the Department give them favourable and sympathetic consideration?

Mr. Twigg

Both my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education are whispering in my ear that this is a very exciting and positive project, and I am delighted to take their word, and that of the hon. Gentleman, for that. Initially, this is a matter for the local education authority and the LSC, but when proposals are made we will give them sympathetic consideration.

Mrs. Anne Campbell (Cambridge) (Lab)

Does my hon. Friend agree that one way of increasing the number of young people going into science, engineering and technology is to increase the number of girls and young women taking scientific subjects at school and going on to study them in further and higher education? What efforts is his Department making specifically to encourage young women to take up those subjects at school?

Mr. Twigg

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend: there is a big challenge both to increase the number of girls studying those subjects and to stem the long-term fall in the number of students continuing to study science subjects after the age of 16. An important part of our strategy for dealing with that is via science and engineering specialist colleges, and I am delighted that there is a record, and growing, number of such colleges, the role of which is not only to enhance science learning and teaching in their own schools but to give support to primary and secondary schools. Part of that work involves ensuring that the options are available on an equal basis, and that there is a positive approach to encouraging more girls and women to study sciences up to the age of 16 and beyond.