Blunkett stresses wider access ambition

David Blunkett has reaffirmed the government's commitment to extending access among under-represented groups. Answering questions after delivering the keynote speech to the London School of Economics conference on Employability and Exclusion this week, the education secretary said that additional resources would be targeted on under-represented groups. He said that one of the most effective ways to improve access was to: "Ensure that people know they haven't blown the chance to go to university if they missed out at the age of 18 or 19. A third of students are now part-timers and a half are defined as mature students."