Contributions
1,330 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDSchools: Mobile PhonesYes, and that is one of the reasons why there needs to be some flexibility. I think the noble Earl might be referring to children who, for particular reasons related to the…12 May 2025HANSARDSchools: Mobile PhonesMy Lords, mobile phones have no place in our schools. The Government’s Mobile Phones in Schools guidance is clear that schools should prohibit the use of devices with smart…12 May 2025HANSARDSchools: Mobile PhonesWell, my optimism is based not just on vain hope but, of course, on the most recent report from the Children’s Commissioner, which shows that the overwhelming majority of…12 May 2025HANSARDSchools: Mobile PhonesMy noble friend identifies an important development, which is that, although schools can and do control the availability of mobile phones for children, children’s access to phones…12 May 2025HANSARDSport: Supreme Court Ruling on Sex and GenderAs I have said previously, the Supreme Court judgment provides us with some clarity around the definition of sex within the Equality Act on the basis of biological sex. The…07 May 2025HANSARDAntisemitism on University CampusesMy Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Cryer for securing this important debate and, in so doing, bringing the attention of this House back to the critical issue of antisemitism…07 May 2025HANSARDPupil AbsenteeismMy Lords, improving school attendance is a top priority for the Government. We are providing schools and teachers with world-leading data tools, empowering them to identify…07 May 2025HANSARDPupil AbsenteeismThe noble Lord is right that being absent from school, particularly persistently, not only impacts on your education but puts you in danger and makes you vulnerable to criminal…07 May 2025HANSARDPupil AbsenteeismMy noble friend is absolutely right that we have seen big increases in the number of children who are missing school, both those who are persistently absent and those who are…07 May 2025HANSARDPupil AbsenteeismFor children with special educational needs, it is really important that, as we have discussed previously, those needs are identified early. That is why we have launched new SEND…07 May 2025HANSARDPupil AbsenteeismThe noble Baroness is right. The right curriculum, and the breadth of the enriching and enjoyable activities that happen within schools, are certainly important for keeping…07 May 2025HANSARDPupil AbsenteeismThis is why we need to make sure that the curriculum provides the excellence of subject teaching and knowledge necessary for children to progress in life, and also that it has the…07 May 2025HANSARDPupil AbsenteeismMy noble friend—despite what he just said about me—is absolutely right. This is where that personalised plan around an individual child—using, where necessary, early help…07 May 2025HANSARDPupil AbsenteeismAs the noble Baroness knows, there is a differential impact on absenteeism, depending on whether a child has special educational needs or free school meals. So it is really…07 May 2025HANSARDPupil AbsenteeismThe right reverend Prelate rightly pushes me. This is the reason why, as part of our approach to supporting children with special educational needs, we are keen to ensure that…07 May 2025HANSARDSport: Supreme Court Ruling on Sex and GenderMy Lords, it is for each sport’s domestic national governing body to set their own policies for who can participate in domestic competitions. We have always been clear that, when…07 May 2025HANSARDSport: Supreme Court Ruling on Sex and GenderThe noble Lord is right that the Equality Act has always enabled sporting bodies to make decisions on the basis of safety and fairness, which we wholly support, but there are also…07 May 2025HANSARDSport: Supreme Court Ruling on Sex and GenderI am an enormous fan and participant in parkrun, which manages to provide enormous opportunities for running for both very talented runners and people like me. The noble Baroness…07 May 2025HANSARDSport: Supreme Court Ruling on Sex and GenderFrankly, no, I do not think that it is the role of government to determine for international sporting bodies how they make those decisions in the very difficult circumstances that…07 May 2025HANSARDSport: Supreme Court Ruling on Sex and GenderThat is what I just said in my previous answer. It is the responsibility of sports governing bodies to make decisions that are appropriate for their sports and that also deliver…07 May 2025