Contributions
695 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCovid-19There are millions of people up and down the country asking a very simple question: what on earth is the plan? The lockdown in March was unprecedented, and we had just two to…02 Nov 2020HANSARDEngagementsOn 16 June, the Prime Minister agreed to provide free school meal vouchers to hungry children over the summer holidays after claiming just 24 hours beforehand that he was…21 Oct 2020HANSARD Free School MealsThe Secretary of State gave us a spectacular display of number theatre: millions for this, millions for that, billions for this, billions for that. There is no doubt that the…21 Oct 2020HANSARD Free School MealsMy hon. Friend anticipates my very next point. It was the Liberal party that first introduced free school meals, in 1906. It was the Liberal Democrats in Government who introduced…21 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Disability-Inclusive ResponseI congratulate the hon. Member for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow (Dr Cameron) on securing this debate, on a topic that she knows is close to my heart. Without doubt,…15 Oct 2020HANSARD Public Health: Coronavirus RegulationsIf we are to have any hope of getting a grip on this virus, reopening our economy and restoring our freedoms, it all depends on fixing test, trace and isolate, and on giving…13 Oct 2020HANSARD Public Health: Coronavirus RegulationsThe idea that a Government can change a policy without there being implications for public behaviour is absurd. That is why the behavioural science group exists to advise SAGE and…13 Oct 2020HANSARDExams: Covid-19It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer, and to speak in this timely debate. One point on which we can all agree is that students have had an incredibly…12 Oct 2020HANSARDCovid-19 Update and Hospitality CurfewThe original urgent question was about the 10 pm pubs curfew, and after this statement it is clear that the Government are simply not listening. They seem to be covering their…01 Oct 2020HANSARDLifetime Skills Guarantee and Post-16 EducationI welcome the ambition of the Government’s plan for skills, but we need to see a bit more detail. The Secretary of State will be familiar with the recommendations of the…01 Oct 2020HANSARD Students’ Return to UniversitiesThere are lots of very worrying reports that young people are scared, confused, isolated and vulnerable to mental ill health, so could the Secretary of State please confirm on…29 Sept 2020HANSARDCoronavirusCoronavirus cases are on the rise in Hertfordshire, and yet in St Albans key workers, teachers, doctors and parents cannot access tests. They are frustrated for two reasons, first…15 Sept 2020HANSARD Awarding of Qualifications: Role of MinistersI probably should not, as you have given me a strong steer, Madam Deputy Speaker—my apologies. As we all look ahead to the next year, I draw Members’ attention to the gov.uk…09 Sept 2020HANSARD Awarding of Qualifications: Role of MinistersThe head of Ofqual made it clear that the grades fiasco was not entirely the fault of an algorithm; it was a conscious decision taken by the Secretary of State for Education. It…09 Sept 2020HANSARD Fire Safety BillThe Liberal Democrats support and welcome the Bill, but it is a first and only a very small step in the right direction. As many hon. Members have said, we are three years on from…07 Sept 2020HANSARD Schools and Colleges: Qualification Results and Full OpeningIt is truly shocking that either the Government did not ask to see the A-level algorithm applied to real-world results, or they did ask to see it and did not notice that it hit…01 Sept 2020HANSARD Radlett Airfield SiteI am grateful to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and to the Speaker’s Office for helping me to secure this debate on the first day back. This debate is of vital importance to my…01 Sept 2020HANSARDBBCTo ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on changes to the licence fee exemptions, programming and job losses at the BBC.21 Jul 2020HANSARD Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing BillYes, of course I accept that there will be occasions when more legislation is needed, but, as the hon. and learned Member for Edinburgh South West (Joanna Cherry) said, her…21 Jul 2020HANSARD Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing BillI wish to start by endorsing some of the comments made by the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Sir Robert Neill) about the use of polygraphs. The Minister will know that I…21 Jul 2020