Contributions
462 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Support for Bereaved ChildrenThe hon. Lady makes a good and important point. These things always involve considerable practical challenges, so they often sound simpler than they are in reality. However, we…21 May 2024HANSARD Support for Bereaved ChildrenIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Rosindell. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington South (Andy Carter) for securing a debate on this important…21 May 2024HANSARD Support for Bereaved ChildrenMy hon. Friend makes an excellent point, and I am happy to have a discussion with my colleagues in other Departments to see whether something like that might be feasible. One of…21 May 2024HANSARDSEND ProvisionHaving undertaken a review of the special educational needs system, we published our improvement plan last year. Provision is regularly reviewed through school and local area…29 Apr 2024HANSARDSEND ProvisionMy hon. Friend is a great champion of children with SEN and he is absolutely right. Labour’s ideological obsession with private schools means that it will even charge children in…29 Apr 2024HANSARDSEND ProvisionYork is in our safety valve programme to provide support with the financial challenges it has. It has seen a 27% increase in per-head funding in the last three financial years. We…29 Apr 2024HANSARDSEND ProvisionI would be very happy to meet my hon. Friend.29 Apr 2024HANSARDSEND ProvisionObviously, I cannot comment on that specific case, but I can tell the hon. Lady that we are in the process of creating 60,000 more special school places; there 108 schools already…29 Apr 2024HANSARDSEND Provision: BournemouthI did not know the hon. Gentleman’s constituency was so close to Bournemouth. As he suggests, I do not have the precise answer to that question; I will write to him.29 Apr 2024HANSARDSEND Provision: BournemouthOfsted outcomes are strong for the five special schools in Bournemouth. Departmental officials continue to work with the council and other services to support rapid improvements,…29 Apr 2024HANSARDSEND Provision: BournemouthMy right hon. Friend has done an excellent job of raising with me repeatedly the frustration of parents and headteachers in his constituency with BCP Council. I and officials…29 Apr 2024HANSARDLanguage for Life ProgrammeEarly language skills are vital for children to thrive. That is why we carried out landmark early education reforms, investing up to £180 million in training, qualifications and…29 Apr 2024HANSARDLanguage for Life ProgrammeWhat the hon. Lady sets out sounds very encouraging and I look forward to hearing more about the Language for Life programme. We have been very pleased with the findings of the…29 Apr 2024HANSARDLanguage for Life ProgrammeI am delighted to tell my right hon. Friend and the House that the first phase of the roll-out went very well indeed. Some 200,000 children are now benefiting from the first stage…29 Apr 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend makes two important points. There was a 6% decline in the number of nought to four-year-olds between 2015 and 2021, and we are providing £242 million in this…29 Apr 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsI thank my hon. Friend, who is absolutely right. We have been hearing negative things about Lib Dem councils from both sides of the House this afternoon, which, sadly, is not…29 Apr 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy hon. Friend raises an excellent point. Reading is one of the most important things children can be doing at a young age. Our Little Moments Together campaign provides free…29 Apr 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsAs it happens, I am meeting the director of the Youth Endowment Fund in the morning. We have a quarterly meeting to review progress and make sure it is on track.29 Apr 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsAgain, the first stage of this roll-out has gone incredibly well, with more than 200,000 children now benefiting. Labour MPs should spend less time criticising our roll-out and…29 Apr 2024HANSARDTopical QuestionsMy right hon. and learned Friend is absolutely right. This is a policy to tickle the bellies of the left of the Labour party. The Opposition did not think it through, and they are…29 Apr 2024