Contributions
541 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDSchools: RAACNot 10 years.01 Feb 2024HANSARDTelegraph Media Group: Proposed Sale to RedBird IMIMy Lords, my noble friend Lord Clement-Jones tabled an amendment on Monday on the issue of media plurality. The Minister’s reply was that: “The Government are currently reviewing…31 Jan 2024HANSARDPedicabs (London) Bill [HL]My Lords, this is almost full circle for me. About six years ago I received several complaints about pedicabs, and I tabled Written Questions for the then Minister, to be told…30 Jan 2024HANSARDSchools: Persistent AbsenteeismMy Lords, when the Minister kindly replied to my Written Question tabled on 11 January, she said that there were “335 state-funded alternative provision schools”. But in terms of…24 Jan 2024HANSARDChildcareDoes the Minister accept the comments made by the chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, which represents 14,000 nurseries, childminders and preschools, that it would be…22 Jan 2024HANSARDChildcareMy Lords, according to Ofsted, the number of early years places fell by almost 18,000 in the 12 months to August 2023. The DfE’s own figures show that there are now over 11,000…22 Jan 2024HANSARDReligious Education in SchoolsMy Lords, I have an interest in this issue as a former head of a Church of England school. Before the introduction of the national curriculum, RE was the only subject that schools…18 Jan 2024HANSARDCoram’s Charter for ChildrenMy Lords, the Coram Charter for Children makes for disturbing reading. Some 4.2 million children in this country are in poverty—4.2 million children in a wealthy country. This…16 Jan 2024HANSARDHome and Online SchoolingMy Lords, the Minister will be aware that literally hundreds of thousands of children are missing from our schools—potentially an educationally lost generation. The charity…19 Dec 2023HANSARDPedicabs (London) Bill [HL]My Lords, first, I apologise for not being present at Second Reading. I have added my name to Amendment 16, which is about safeguarding. It follows what the noble Lord, Lord…11 Dec 2023HANSARDChildren’s MinisterMy Lords, the UNICEF report that has been published shows that the UK is the only country that has seen a 20% increase in child poverty. We need someone in government who actually…06 Dec 2023HANSARDEarly Years EducationBefore the Minister sits down, I raised the issue of a new target for the 60,000 vulnerable babies and asked what the Government are planning to do on that. Will she write to me…30 Nov 2023HANSARDEarly Years EducationMy Lords, I reflect on how it was the coalition Government, pushed strongly by their Liberal Democrat element, who brought in free school meals for all key stage 2 pupils. I…30 Nov 2023HANSARDJobs Market: GraduatesMy Lords, the Minister will be aware that we have a shortage of teachers—some might call it a crisis of teacher vacancies—in our schools. We also have a crisis of shortages in…27 Nov 2023HANSARDMental Health: Children and Young PeopleMy Lords, I want to look at mental health in the context of schools. Before I do, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Hale, on her maiden speech. She is wearing a butterfly…23 Nov 2023HANSARDSchools: Special Educational NeedsThe Minister will be aware that, every year, the number of children and young people with education, health and care plans who are permanently excluded from school is increasing…15 Nov 2023HANSARDKing’s SpeechMy Lords, I have managed to listen to every Member’s contribution during this part of the King’s Speech debate—with a couple of toilet visits. The contributions show a real depth…14 Nov 2023HANSARDCultural Education PlanWe welcome this cultural education plan, and we have every confidence in the noble Baroness, Lady Bull. Of course, cultural education is not just about learning—it has to be about…17 Oct 2023HANSARDCore School Budget AllocationsMy Lords, the Minister will know through her visits to schools that school budgets are stretched to breaking point. Head teachers are telling me, and no doubt telling the…17 Oct 2023HANSARDSchools: RAACThe Minister may recall that one of the first acts of Michael Gove as Secretary of State for Education was to cancel Building Schools for the Future. I well remember the impact it…19 Sept 2023