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June 2021
NEWS FROM WESTMINSTER

Coming from a family of teachers, I have always
had an interest in education, and from 2016-2020, I
was Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group
for Youth Employment. This group looked at a
variety of ways in helping young people into training
and employment. My interest in education and
helping people into employment continues, so I was
delighted by the plans announced in the Queen’s
speech about the Lifetime Skills Guarantee. New
laws will create a post-16 and adult education and
training system that is fit for the future, providing the
skills that people need for well-paid jobs and opportunities to train throughout
their lifetime.
For veterans, one way to develop to further their education might be through
the Open University (OU) Disabled Veterans’ Scholarship Fund. This fund
provides scholarships for up to 50 disabled veterans to build on their unique
military skills and
e x p e r i e n c e s b y
s t u d y i n g a t
undergraduate or
postgraduate level for
free. The OU has
awarded 160 such
scholarships so far,
helping individuals from
a variety of service backgrounds with a range of physical disabilities and mental
health conditions. Each scholarship is tailored to support disabled veterans,
injured during or due to their service, as they transition to civilian life, providing a
free OU education and wraparound disability and careers service support. The
application deadline is midnight on 9 th July 2021 and you can find information
online here: http://www.open.ac.uk/courses/choose/veterans
The Queen’s speech announced the Government’s new legislative program for
this Parliament, and other measures included the plans to continue the work in
establishing an advanced research agency. This work will build on the success of
the vaccination program, to lead work in life sciences, and conducting
ambitious scientific research. This will be developed through the Advanced
Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) Bill. This Bill started in the last Parliament,
and part of my recent work has been scrutinising the Bill line by line in the
committee stages. These committees are a vital part of the work in Parliament,
as each Bill is thoroughly scrutinised and debated by a cross party group of MPs.
The committee may call expert witnesses as part of the evidence gathering for

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