Mark Reckless MP has welcomed the announcement from Lord Hill of Oareford that the government has agreed to release funding for the feasibility phase of a new Academy to replace The Hundred of Hoo Comprehensive School.

The funding will allow the Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School, which is also converting to an Academy from April, to develop plans to establish an Academy that will cater for pupils aged 11-18 which will specialise in Media and the Performing Arts.

The Academy should open in existing buildings at Hundred of Hoo in September 2011.

Commenting on the news, Mark Reckless said:

"I am absolutely delighted that a school which was in special measures as recently as April 2009 has been turned around in such a short space of time.

I would like to congratulate Dr Gary Holden (pictured) of Sir Joseph Williamson’s Maths School along with Medway Council for achieving such an outstanding turnaround.

I would also like to congratulate all of the students and parents who stuck by the school and worked really hard to make this happen.

The Hundred of Hoo school will now benefit from the increased funding, freedoms and flexibility that Academy status brings. The school will have the freedom to manage its own budget and set its own priorities away from the National Curriculum. Students will be given the best opportunity to reach high levels of personal and academic achievement.

I really am pleased for the students who currently attend the school or who are planning on attending in coming years. Thanks to local efforts and hard work, the Hoo Peninsula will now have a first rate school to be proud of and I welcome this news.

Well done to all concerned!"

Mark Reckless MP Helps Out Local Students

Mark Reckless MP was very pleased to help out students at the University of Kent's Centre for Journalism.

Mark joined fellow Kent MP Tracey Crouch during the student's most recent news day where teams are tasked with producing 15 minute news broadcasts as part of their course.

Student Laura Hartmann welcomed Mark's help:

"For us as students, it was great getting a sitting MP into our tv studio as a live guest - especially as it was the first ever TV news day for us second years."

Mark responded by saying:

It's great to be asked and to be able to assist local students when I can. I really enjoyed the experience and would like to wish everyone involved the very best with their studies."

Mark Reckless MP Helps Out Local Students

Campaign For Equal Tuition Fees

Local MP Mark Reckless met with student campaigner Jennifer Watts earlier this week to discuss the inequality of tuition fees between English and Scottish students.

Jennifer, a local gap year student, is starting a campaign to end this discrimination. Mark welcomed Jennifer to Westminster to discuss some questions she had, such as whether or not introducing tuition fees in Scotland would mean that the increase in fees in the rest of the UK could be less drastic.

At the core of the discussion was the fact that the English taxpayer effectively props up the Scottish Government’s devolved budget, enabling Holyrood to provide Scottish students with free education, whereas English students have to carry debts of tens of thousands of pounds into their working life. Fair?

Speaking on the issue, Mark Reckless said:

“I agree with the issues Jennifer has raised. I support the campaign she has started to address the imbalance and to raise people’s awareness in an effort to make the system fairer.”

For more information on this issue, Jennifer has created a website: http://equalunifees.webs.com/

Campaign For Equal Tuition Fees

Local MP Welcomes MidKent College Students To Westminster

Local MP Mark Reckless met with students from Mid Kent College today at Parliament and answered their questions on topical issues such as student fees and the forthcoming referendum on a possible change to the Westminster electoral system.

Arriving back in Westminster following recess and before many other MPs, Mark was happy to welcome the students to the House of Commons and respond directly to their questions.

Mark said:

“It was a pleasure to meet such mature and interested young adults, who will be part of the future of our country. It’s really positive that young people are showing an interest in the political system and the issues that affect us all. I particularly welcomed the opportunity to listen to the concerns of young people studying in my constituency.

I am always happy to welcome students and members of the public from my constituency to Westminster in small or large groups. Anyone wishing to visit should call my Westminster office on 020 7219 7135 and we will do our best to accommodate any requests.”

Local MP Welcomes MidKent College Students To Westminster

Welcoming Regina Suleymanova

Mark would like to welcome Regina Suleymanova who will be working as an intern in both the Westminster and constituency offices for the next couple of weeks.

Regina, a constituent of Mark's, graduated from Hull University last summer with a degree in psychology and previously attended Rochester Independent College and Chatham Grammar School for Boys (Mixed Sixth Form). A member of the British Psychological Society, Regina enjoys playing the classical piano and is a green belt in karate!

Mark is always very happy to consider requests for internships from young people in his constituency who may be considering a career in politics, or are looking for more general work experience. If you would like to register your interest, please email interns@markreckless.com

Mark hopes that Regina enjoys her time working as an intern, and the experience proves to be of value as she begins her working career. Welcome!

Welcoming Regina Suleymanova

Statement On Tuition Fees

Yesterday in a tense and emotional atmosphere, with student protest around Parliament, MPs voted by 323 to 302 votes to raise tuition fees from just over £3000, to £6000, and potentially to £9000.

I was one of the 302 who voted against that government proposal. Five other Conservative and twenty one Liberal Democrat colleagues joined me in the 'No' lobby. It is not easy to vote with only a minority of my side of the House but I know that it was also not easy for many MPs who did vote with the government to make their decision. I also pay tribute to Tracey Crouch MP who was as principled in her abstention as those of us who voted either for or against.

I found it particularly difficult to justify the suddenness of the move with one student required to pay only around £3000 but then another student, potentially a sister just one year behind at school, expected to pay two or three times more with very little warning. I also believe that as MPs we should make decisions and whenever possible try and explain those likely decisions before an election, rather than use a report from someone who is not elected, however distinguished, to justify a decision (the Browne Report).

I was enormously impressed by the students who put their case to me on this issue. They asked me why they should have to pay so much when Welsh and Scottish and in many cases EU students did not have to pay at all. I then showed David Willetts, the universities minister, detailed statistics showing that 46% of EU students due to repay a loan from the British taxpayer were in default. I have also asked govenment ministers how thay can justify an 80% decrease in grant to universities in the context of a 60% increase in our net payments to the EU.

I cannot justify it, and voted accordingly.

Statement On Tuition Fees

Mark Reckless Calls For Action On Student Loans

Mark Reckless MP has called on the Government to take action over continuing delays in students receiving their funding, following a warning from the National Audit Office that the Student Loans Company scheme was at "substantial" risk of being hit by delays again this year.

In a question to the Secretary of State for Education, Mark Reckless called for action to be taken on behalf of students who have started the new academic year, but are still waiting for their loans to be processed. He called upon the Secretary of State for Education to "take action over the longstanding issue of student loans not being processed in a timely manner."

Commenting on the question, Mark said:

"In recent weeks I have been contacted by many students and parents seeking my assistance in sorting out the mess we have inherited from the last government. As the MP for a constituency which has transformed itself over recent years into a major destination for students from all across the country seeking to further their education at our top-class universities here in Medway, I am dismayed that so many of our young people are still struggling to pay their rent and bills despite repeated assurances from the previous government that this issue was being addressed.

At a time when we are asking students to share a greater burden of the cost in financing their own higher education, I think the least we can do is ensure they receive their money on time."

Mark Reckless Calls For Action On Student Loans