Contributions
1,330 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDBreakfast Clubs: Early AdoptersMy noble friend makes an enormously important point from a position of considerable experience. The intention is that this club happens before school and provides childcare and…27 Feb 2025HANSARDBreakfast Clubs: Early AdoptersThe last Government, rightly, had an objective of ensuring a considerable expansion of the availability of childcare entitlements. For example, there was an objective to increase…27 Feb 2025HANSARDBreakfast Clubs: Early AdoptersMy noble friend makes a very important point, which links to the point about children with turbulent lifestyles and how they can get to school on time. I will certainly take it…27 Feb 2025HANSARDBreakfast Clubs: Early AdoptersMy noble friend’s point about school food standards is a broader one and very important. I have previously told the House that, during my first time round in the Department for…27 Feb 2025HANSARDHigher Education: Creative CoursesThe noble Baroness makes an important point: we have both the contribution the creative industries and the contribution that creative education and training more broadly make to…26 Feb 2025HANSARDHigher Education: Creative CoursesI agree with the noble Earl’s view of the significance and importance of creative and arts subjects. We need to ensure there is a pipeline of young people with those interests and…26 Feb 2025HANSARDHigher Education: Creative CoursesAs the noble Baroness suggests, this is a responsibility for the Welsh Government, but I was able to talk to Members of Parliament representing Cardiff constituencies and to the…26 Feb 2025HANSARDHigher Education: Creative CoursesAs the noble Lord identified, support is continuing for those very important organisations to provide access for the most able musicians to the sort of development that is…26 Feb 2025HANSARDHigher Education: Creative CoursesI cannot necessarily take responsibility for what is happening in Scotland, but I can say that we recognise the particular need for support for small and specialist providers.…26 Feb 2025HANSARDHigher Education: Creative CoursesMy Lords, the Government are committed to supporting creative and performing arts in higher education. For the academic year 2024-25, we have allocated around £12.9 million in…26 Feb 2025HANSARDHigher Education: Creative CoursesThe noble Baroness asks a broad-ranging question—I will not be tempted by certain parts of it. She makes a very important point about the need to ensure, as I think I have already…26 Feb 2025HANSARDHigher Education: Creative CoursesI very strongly agree with my noble friend that we need both. This Government believe that creative subjects, such as art, music and drama, are important elements of the rounded…26 Feb 2025HANSARDInstitute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (Transfer of Functions etc) Bill [HL]My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Storey, and the noble Baroness, Lady Barran, for their responses. I certainly undertake to engage with the noble Baroness and others on…11 Feb 2025HANSARDInstitute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (Transfer of Functions etc) Bill [HL]My Lords, noble Lords will be aware that this is National Apprenticeship Week. There is much to celebrate and much to build on. It is therefore fitting that this Bill leaves this…11 Feb 2025HANSARDInstitute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (Transfer of Functions etc) Bill [HL]That the Bill do now pass.11 Feb 2025HANSARDEducation (Assemblies) Bill [HL]My Lords, I congratulate, as others have, the noble Baroness, Lady Burt of Solihull, on bringing her Bill to a Second Reading. Of course, as we have discussed during this debate,…07 Feb 2025HANSARDRecruitment of TeachersI completely agree with the noble Lord about the challenges, not just that individual teachers have in the classroom, but that we have in attracting people to and keeping them in…06 Feb 2025HANSARDRecruitment of TeachersI strongly agree with my noble friend. The curriculum and assessment review is important to ensure that teachers have a curriculum that promotes high standards in reading, writing…06 Feb 2025HANSARDRecruitment of TeachersIt is certainly the case that there has been a disappointing failure to address the shortage of modern foreign language teachers. That is why, for example, one of the things that…06 Feb 2025HANSARDRecruitment of TeachersMy Lords, teachers are the most important factor in a child’s education. We are committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 new expert teachers across our schools, both mainstream…06 Feb 2025