Contributions
962 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceYes. Indeed, many Members of this House are positive male role models—there are many positive male role models—and we want to ensure that we celebrate and support positive male…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceI thank my hon. Friend for his comments. Of course, what makes this subject difficult is the need to tread that fine line carefully—letting kids be kids while making sure that…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceNot only will I now be able to look at the materials, but so will parents, and so will Ofsted when it reviews what is happening in schools against the guidance we have issued.…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceWith your permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will make a statement to the House setting out the Government’s proposals for updating the 2019 statutory guidance on relationships,…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceI would like to address the hon. Lady’s points; I think I made a note of all of them. First, on this being long in the making, I just want us all to be aware of the timeline. This…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceI thank the Father of the House, who, as usual, shows true leadership in this area, as in many others. He is absolutely right that there are examples of organisations with…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidancePart of leadership and showing leadership is also dealing with those things we are not happy with. We are not happy that young children are having access to porn, which is why…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceI am grateful to my right hon. Friend for raising that point. Political impartiality is important, and the guidance he read out is meant to cover some commonsense exceptions. For…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceAnother approach is obviously looking at access to smartphones at a very young age. On the point raised by the hon. Gentleman, the most appropriate guidance is “Keeping children…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceLet me reassure the right hon. Gentleman. Although we were a couple of years apart in Knowsley, sex education did not change an awful lot. We had two lessons—one where girls and…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceI thank all Members of the House who have discussed this matter respectfully, as well as contributing to and developing our understanding of what is going on in schools. On what…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceI take responsibility for England, and I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s welcoming of the guidance. I think we have shown leadership. We issued gender questioning guidance in…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceThe guidance is very clear. It is unusual to have guidance that is largely aimed at schools, but that has some parts for parents, too. We will put more communication for parents…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceAbsolutely. I hope the hon. Lady will have seen that that is just not my style. I try to see problems and fix them in a reasonable and respectful way. Quality materials are…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceIt is statutory guidance. It will also be transparent, as the materials will now be available to parents. It is not only statutory guidance, but this area will be under the…16 May 2024HANSARD Relationships, Sex and Health Education: Statutory GuidanceThe new guidance will be supplemented with materials that will be available from Oak National Academy, which we will ensure address any of the concerns raised. I look forward to…16 May 2024HANSARDFaith School Designation ReformsToday, I wish to inform the House that we are consulting on faith designation reforms for new and existing free schools and special academies. These reforms will build on our…01 May 2024HANSARDChildren with Special Educational Needs and DisabilitiesWe will all know somebody with special educational needs or disabilities and understand how vital it is to get a child with special educational needs or disabilities the right…29 Apr 2024HANSARDChildren with Special Educational Needs and DisabilitiesI thank the hon. Lady for her question. Around half of new EHCPs were issued within the statutory time limit of 20 weeks, and some local authorities are delivering over 90%, but…29 Apr 2024HANSARDChildren with Special Educational Needs and DisabilitiesWe need to do all we can to support children with special educational needs; they are vulnerable and need the support as early as possible. We have programmes in place to support…29 Apr 2024