Contributions
362 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDPerforming Arts: GCSE and A-level QualificationsI thank the Minister for that Answer and I will give her some figures back. There has been a reduction of 25% in entries for GCSE music, 30% for drama and, significantly, 60% for…26 Apr 2023HANSARDPerforming Arts: GCSE and A-level QualificationsTo ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the decline in the number of entries to GCSE and A-Level qualifications in the performing arts over the last…26 Apr 2023HANSARDSpecial Educational Needs: Employment SupportMy Lords, I thank the Minister for her answers to date, but I would like to probe a little further. Last month, in the SEND and AP improvement plan, the Government committed to…24 Apr 2023HANSARDHigher Education: Financial PressuresMy Lords, as a former teacher, I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on this issue. As noted in the register, I am the chair of trustees of the Council for Dance, Drama and…30 Mar 2023HANSARDLocal Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (Corporate Joint Committees) (Consequential Amendments) Order 2023My Lords, I have great pleasure in speaking on behalf of the Opposition regarding this statutory instrument and thank the Minister for her kind words. When I was leader of the…28 Mar 2023HANSARDPrisons: EducationMy Lords, the Open University offers a range of introductory access modules funded by the Prisoners’ Education Trust, under the banner of “Steps to Success”. They have been…23 Mar 2023HANSARDInternational Higher Education StudentsDoes the Minister agree that it is regrettable that universities, and particularly their international students, increasingly are seen by some vocal commentators as a convenient…21 Mar 2023HANSARDDevolved Budget for Wales: InflationI thank the Minister for that Answer, but I need to make her and the House aware that Wales is facing a perfect storm of pressures, with austerity, the pandemic, the cost of…15 Mar 2023HANSARDDevolved Budget for Wales: InflationTo ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of inflation on the devolved budget for Wales.15 Mar 2023HANSARDSchools: Data, Digital and Financial LiteracyMy Lords, my party has long been calling for reform of the citizenship curriculum to include practical life skills such as budgeting and, most importantly, young people staying…14 Mar 2023HANSARDHigher-Risk Buildings (Key Building Information etc.) (England) Regulations 2023I thank the Minister for that answer but, on the point that the resident can inform the regulator, I would like the Minister and the department to be mindful of consequences for…14 Mar 2023HANSARDHigher-Risk Buildings (Key Building Information etc.) (England) Regulations 2023My Lords, I note my membership of the LGA as a vice-president, which is noted in my details. I thank the Minister for her introduction to this statutory instrument. We understand…14 Mar 2023HANSARDInternational Women’s DayMy Lords, I echo the warm words of the Minister about Baroness Boothroyd. I remember that her comments to me after my maiden speech were very warm and supportive. I also look…10 Mar 2023HANSARDNon-Domestic Rating (Rates Retention: Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2023My Lords, I draw attention to the fact that I am a vice-president of the Local Government Association, as noted in the register. I thank the Minister for introducing this…27 Feb 2023HANSARDPolice and Crime PanelsI thank my noble friend Lord Bach for bringing this important topic of debate here today. The tripartite structure of police accountability, whereby the governance of policing was…23 Feb 2023HANSARDChildren: Bereavement Support in SchoolsMy Lords, as the Minister will know, the Government’s £8 million Wellbeing for Education Return training programme was launched in 2020, with the aim of helping children to…06 Feb 2023HANSARDEducation (Non-religious Philosophical Convictions) Bill [HL]My Lords, we have heard that the Bill would introduce a requirement for maintained English schools to include non-religious worldviews, such as humanism, in RE lessons, and we…03 Feb 2023HANSARDTransport: South WalesTo ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to implement the eighth recommendation of the Union Connectivity Review , published on 26 November 2021, to invest in…02 Feb 2023HANSARDTransport: South WalesDespite the Chief Whip’s comments, I beg leave to convey sincere condolences from this side of the Chamber to the First Minister of Wales, the Prif Weinidog, on the sudden and…02 Feb 2023HANSARDSecondary Schools: Autistic PupilsMy Lords, while I understand and indeed respect the Minister’s previous responses on this Question, nevertheless the Government continue to delay the publication of their SEND…26 Jan 2023