Contributions
541 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillWill the Minister go away and consider the fate of the branded book bag, which means so much to primary and infant schools? It should not be included as part of the three, because…03 Jul 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, I thank the Government for taking this issue on and for being aware of the problems that we face. I also recognise that the noble Baroness, Lady Barran, was on to this…03 Jul 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillI thank the noble Lord for that. Clearly, there are different groups of home educators and we cannot just use the blanket term “home education”. First, there are the traditional…03 Jul 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillI thank the noble Lord for his question. The answer is that, at the moment, we are not doing anything, which is why the children are going missing and why we do not know where…03 Jul 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillI thank the noble Lord for that point; I am sure that the Minister is listening and learning. Again, I hope that, between Committee and Report, we can be sure that what we…03 Jul 2025HANSARDSchool LibrariesMy Lords, in talking about this example of over 50% of books being withdrawn, I wonder whether the Minister is concerned that there might be a case of schools feeling intimidated…30 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillI entirely agree with what has been said. You cannot imagine how it must be for a child or young person to suddenly arrive here on their own and not have any knowledge of how they…23 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, we have heard some very powerful speeches this afternoon, particularly from the noble Lord, Lord Bethell, who talked about a world health crisis. I was also taken by my…23 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, we very much support the amendments in the names of the noble Baroness, Lady Cash, and the noble Lords, Lord Farmer and Lord Russell of Liverpool. If we were putting…23 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, I do not think that the amendment says that it should not be qualified practitioners who carry out the assessments. We already know, in general terms, that 85% of young…23 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillI am grateful for that clarification. Maybe this could be picked up on Report, but it is hugely important. As my noble friend Lord Addington said, there is a young offenders…23 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, I just remind the Committee that, 12 or 13 years ago, when we were looking at the Children and Families Bill, my noble friend Lady Benjamin took up this issue with great…19 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, I always enjoy the sports love-in we get in these debates. I admire the support we have for each other. I was a great fan of the Blair Government in so far as, on the…19 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillFor a number of years, when the noble Baroness’s Government were running things, I was always concerned about the issue of Jobcentre Plus mentors, who are hugely important in this…19 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, all these amendments help in some way and are important. It seems to me that Thursday afternoon in the Chamber has become friends day. I will add just a few thoughts. On…19 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillI have to be careful here with what I say. When are you are in Committee, you are dealing with dozens of amendments, and you get handed briefs to do that. Initially, I read that…19 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillIt is wonderful to be surrounded by so many supportive people, including someone in the Official Opposition, who has just told me it should be the other way round. What I…19 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Bird, for his tour de force. One thing he did not say was that, as soon as children, particularly children from low-income families, go into…19 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Barran, gave the background in terms of the statistics and figures, which make for quite a salutary understanding. Agency workers are, as we…19 Jun 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, I agree with the noble Baroness, Lady Cash, that all these amendments would enhance the life chances and life opportunities of looked-after children, and they should be…17 Jun 2025