I have to say that I enjoy the House of Commons and its sometimes whacky and archaic rules. I take every opportunity to speak in debates which interest me and which I think are important. In fact, that is a problem for me, because those MPs who speak more frequently are often put way down the Speaker's list and have to wait hours to take their turn to speak.
Each week I look at next week's business in "the Whip", the letter which arrives on Friday telling MPs what is on in the next fortnight and when we have to attend to vote in the House of Commons lobbies. If there is something I wish to speak on, I drop the required note to the Speaker asking if I might "catch his eye" in the relevant debate. Then I simply turn up on the day and hope for the best, without knowing when or even if I shall be called to speak. Sometimes there is a time limit on backbench speeches, typically 10 minutes, so I then have to cut out chunks of what I had hoped to say to squeeze my speech into the time limit.
In recent weeks, it has happened three times that I have been called right at the end of the debate with not even 10 minutes to speak. In a three hour debate on railways, I finished up with two and a half minutes speaking very quickly to cram as much as I could into that space and get over my points about the importance of investment in rail freight infrastructure (one of my hobby horses).
Two weeks ago I spoke in the 2nd Reading debate on a large education Bill which among other things changed the way further education colleges and sixth form colleges are funded. I have long argued that we should have many more sixth form colleges and that this has not happened because local education authorities would have had to give away their schools' sixth forms to a separate institution outside their own sphere, funded until recently through the so-called Learning and Skills Council. It is just possible that my constant lobbying on this theme has helped prompt the government into this change and, if it goes through, I hope very much that we shall see many more sixth form colleges established up and down the country.
We in Luton are very fortunate in having what I believe is the best possible pattern of 11-18 education provision. With 11-16 high schools focussing on getting youngsters up to and through the GCSE, and then a further education college and a sixth form college providing education and training from 16 onwards. We are especially fortunate in Luton in having two absolutely first class colleges in Barnfield and Luton Sixth Form College. Both have been assessed as "outstanding" colleges, and both have been granted the coveted "Beacon" status. We also have the excellent Cardinal Newman High School.
In my Commons speech I wanted once again to sing the praises of sixth form colleges, of which Luton Sixth Form is such a shining example. At Luton Sixth Form College students have the choice of 43 different A level courses which they can study in unusual combinations tailored to their own needs and aspirations. For many courses there are a number of specialist teachers who mutually support each other and reinforce the quality of the course and opportunities for student success. There are also general vocational courses running in parallel and students can, if they choose, study a combination of these courses with A-levels too. Over the years, Luton Sixth Form College has assembled a team of top quality teachers and excellent support staff in every area.
The Sixth Form College also brings together young people from every community in the town and thus makes an enormous contribution to social cohesion in Luton. Hundreds of our young students proceed to higher education, to universities up and down the country every year and the availability of the Sixth Form College and the quality of teaching and learning they experience gives them the best possible advantage in moving onwards and upwards.
In the Commons debate I wished to say all this and much more besides, but once again I was the last to be called to speak and had just four and half minutes to say my piece. I spoke very quickly to get as much as I could onto the record and to urge government to do everything possible to establish more sixth form colleges in Britain and give more young people the advantages and opportunities that are open to our own Luton youngsters.
The procedures of the House of Commons are broadly fair, if sometimes frustrating for me. It is my own fault that in one year for instance I apparently spoke four times more than the average MP and perhaps it is my own enthusiasm which occasionally does me down! Having to wait for six hours to speak for four and a half minutes, as was the case in my education debate was a little trying I have to say! That being said, I am not going to stop putting my oar in where I think I can make a difference and move things forward.
Kelvin Hopkins MP
