Contributions
755 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDSchools: Vocational GuidanceInformation supplied by the careers and basic skills division of the Department for Education has been identified as containing incorrect information in the response provided by…23 Jan 2020HANSARD School Meals: HullI am more than happy to meet the hon. Member, or any other Member, to discuss this subject or any other within my brief, because these are important topics and there is a lot of…22 Jan 2020HANSARD School Meals: HullYes, indeed. We have committed to increase that amount in line with inflation, but we constantly keep it under review. I want to take this opportunity to set out the critical role…22 Jan 2020HANSARD School Meals: HullWe have already announced the further £9 million. I completely agree with the hon. Member about the importance of tackling this issue. In fact, our manifesto included a £1 billion…22 Jan 2020HANSARD School Meals: HullThat is extremely important. National food standards are already in place and schools have to adhere to them; they ensure that food is high quality, healthy and nutritious, and…22 Jan 2020HANSARD School Meals: HullI congratulate the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull North (Dame Diana Johnson) on securing this important debate. I was pleased to see her receive a damehood in the new year…22 Jan 2020HANSARD School Meals: HullThe hon. Member has highlighted the academies programme’s facilitating this, and the Government and I see it as providing opportunities through the key principles of autonomy,…22 Jan 2020HANSARDLooked-after Children: Out-of-area PlacementsThe great tragedy and announcements that have come out of Greater Manchester are awful, and my heartfelt thoughts go to anybody affected and their friends and family. Things have…20 Jan 2020HANSARDChildren Entering the Care SystemThis is something that we are committed to getting right, and I am working with Ofsted, local authorities and the Children’s Commissioner to tackle it. While there is and always…20 Jan 2020HANSARDChildren Entering the Care SystemAbsolutely. I believe that the system needs to be child-focused. My hon. Friend will have noted that in my letter to local authorities last week, I highlighted other forms of…20 Jan 2020HANSARDChildren Entering the Care SystemBoth I and the Department are concerned about the number of children in care, which has increased by 21% since 2010. That is why we have a multi-tiered approach based on trying to…20 Jan 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am delighted to announce that schools and colleges in England can order free period products from today, and orders have already been placed. No young girl should have her…20 Jan 2020HANSARDTopical QuestionsI am more than happy to meet the hon. Member, who has done a great deal of work to raise the issue, and take learnings from him. When it comes to SEND, our focus is not on the…20 Jan 2020HANSARDFree School MealsWe already provide free school meals to 1.3 million children and 1.4 million infants. This policy is targeted at the most disadvantaged, which we personally believe is right, as…20 Jan 2020HANSARDFree School MealsFree school meals play an important role in ensuring that disadvantaged children receive a healthy nutritious meal every school day. I assure the hon. Member and the House that…20 Jan 2020HANSARDLooked-after Children: Out-of-area PlacementsI will do my best to answer that comprehensive question. I can assure the hon. Member that both I and the Government take this matter seriously. However, out-of-area placements…20 Jan 2020HANSARDLooked-after Children: Out-of-area PlacementsWe know the challenges that local authorities face when making placements. The child’s best interests should always come first, so safety and suitability of a child’s care…20 Jan 2020HANSARDLooked-after Children: Out-of-area PlacementsThe wholesale care review was a central part of the Conservative party manifesto and we are committed to ensuring that we get this right. It will be comprehensive, but at the…20 Jan 2020HANSARDLooked-after Children: Out-of-area PlacementsI believe the hon. Member is referring to a case where a number of out-of-area placements were made in Scotland. We have recently put £40 million extra into capital funding for…20 Jan 2020HANSARDLooked-after Children: Out-of-area PlacementsMy hon. Friend is quite right. The number of children in the care sector is a worry both to me and the Government. That is why we have a number of initiatives to support families…20 Jan 2020