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Howard's Way.... a weekly column from the Rt. Hon. Michael Howard QC. MP. 

12 June 2008

Last Thursday, together with Damian Green, the Member for Parliament for Ashford, I went to see Bill Rammell, the Minister with responsibility for further education. We were there to discuss the future of South Kent College.

The College has been through a difficult time. A report due out in a few days time is expected to be critical of its performance. Changes may have to be made.

This is obviously a subject of great importance to me. It is absolutely essential that high quality training be made available to those of our young people who may not be the most academically gifted in our community but who have other skills which need to be enhanced. They need to be equipped with the knowledge which will make it possible for them to hold down worthwhile jobs when they have completed their course.

That is why South Kent College is such an important element in our education mix.

I shall be watching carefully to make sure that any proposals the Minister puts forward will be of benefit to those young people whose interests we must all have at heart.

This week also marks the 25th anniversary of my election as your Member of Parliament. Two dinners are being held at the House of Commons for the Conservative MP’s who were elected with me in 1983 and no doubt we shall all take trips down memory lane.

It is an appropriate moment for me to thank all of you for the support and friendship which you have given Sandra and me over that long period. I have been extremely fortunate to have represented such a wonderful constituency. And since I think we are unlikely to have a General Election until 2010 you are, I’m afraid, likely to be stuck with me for another 2 years!