Contributions
1,330 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDMusic and Dance SchemeWell, I do agree with the words of my noble friend Lady Longfield. I am sure that she, like me, is dismayed at, for example, the big fall-off in young people able to take GCSEs in…24 Jun 2025HANSARDMusic and Dance SchemeThe music and dance scheme has a particular function to play in enabling very talented young people who would not otherwise be able to access the really excellent education…24 Jun 2025HANSARDYoung People: Sporting ActivitiesMy Lords, we are committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and supporting more children to access high-quality PE and sport. The new commitment, outlined by the Prime…24 Jun 2025HANSARDYoung People: Sporting ActivitiesOf course it is important that there is a fully funded and costed programme, but when we talk about the facilities that are so important for enabling young people—in fact, all…24 Jun 2025HANSARDYoung People: Sporting ActivitiesThe noble Lord makes an important point: activity is important, but not every young person will want to do the same sport. Although, as we can see with the Lionesses, football has…24 Jun 2025HANSARDYoung People: Sporting ActivitiesThe noble Baroness makes a very important point. It partly relates to the extent to which we can provide a whole range of opportunities for people to engage in activity, and the…24 Jun 2025HANSARDYoung People: Sporting ActivitiesMy noble friend is absolutely right. That is why it is a key part of the national curriculum that children should be able to swim before the age of 11. It is why the ongoing…24 Jun 2025HANSARDYoung People: Sporting ActivitiesThe right reverend Prelate is right to recognise the importance, and the possibility, of engaging children with special educational needs and disabilities in sport and PE. That is…24 Jun 2025HANSARDYoung People: Sporting ActivitiesGiven that we are about to go on to day eight in Committee on the Bill, I look forward to that discussion and debate. The noble Earl is, of course, right to identify the benefits…24 Jun 2025HANSARDYoung People: Sporting ActivitiesLet us be clear: it is not true that there are only a few remaining secondary school playing fields. However, the noble Earl makes a really important point that, where a facility…24 Jun 2025HANSARDMusic and Dance SchemeI hope the noble Lord recognises that I recognise the contribution the MDS makes, and particularly the way it enables children who otherwise would not be able to afford this type…24 Jun 2025HANSARDMusic and Dance SchemeThe noble Baroness is right that dance is part of the national curriculum for PE, which is part of the entitlement for children in all the first three key stages. I recognise her…24 Jun 2025HANSARDMusic and Dance SchemeThe Government will launch a new centre for arts and music education to take forward the ambitions, which my noble friend rightly asks of us, for improved and more equitable arts…24 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillI do note that I was coming to the end of my comments at 18 minutes—just so the Whips know I was sticking to the rules. The noble Lord tempts me to say that that was exactly the…23 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy point was that linking free school meal entitlement to universal credit will make it much easier both for families to apply and for us to monitor the levels. However, I will…23 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, the amendments in this group relate to free school meals and follow on, of course, from the interesting debate that we had last week on wider issues relating to school…23 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillI am not surprised that the noble Baroness, Lady Coffey, managed to persuade those in a position to be persuaded that this amendment should have the opportunity to be discussed…23 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, we have had a good discussion on this third group of amendments about the important issue of ensuring that children get the very best start in life. This Government’s…23 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillFirst, I said more than safeguarding; I hope she can go back and look at the record to see that. I was pretty sympathetic to the points she made, and I said much more than…23 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillWell, the noble Lord added considerably to his speech there. I did not use some of the arguments that he suggested were used in this Chamber about porn. I was not in this House so…23 Jun 2025