Contributions
1,070 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)In a moment. I will make this point, because I wanted to pick up on it in the oral evidence session when people were asking questions about attainment, but we ran out of time. The…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)On clause 44, Liberal Democrats have long supported the position that a failing school, or one that Ofsted has identified as requiring intervention, should not automatically be…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Ninth sitting)The National Association of Special Schools is concerned that schools seeking to make material changes sometimes face undue bureaucratic delays that mean some students end up…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Ninth sitting)It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Edward. I have a couple of brief questions for the Minister. Sir Martyn Oliver, His Majesty’s chief inspector, raised the…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Ninth sitting)I note your comment about speaking specifically to the clauses and amendments under consideration, Sir Edward; I wanted to start with some comments that relate both to this group…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)Amendment 47 would, very simply, make the Secretary of State’s recommendations on pay and conditions a minimum for all schools, whether maintained or academy schools, as the…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)I beg to move amendment 47, in clause 45, page 104, line 17, at end insert— “(za) in subsection (1)(a), after ‘the’ insert ‘minimum’”.04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)There was that suggestion.04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)All right. I have a lot of sympathy with amendments 88 and 89, and I agree that the drafting of the clause seems at odds with the explanatory notes. There is a potential overreach…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)I warmly welcome the provision in clause 47. The Liberal Democrats have long called for far greater co-operation between local authorities and schools on admissions and place…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)I was going to say largely the same as the hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, although I think he was exaggerating slightly in suggesting that the power will lead to…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)I am very happy to respond to that. The hon. Gentleman will know full well— [ Interruption. ] Sorry; if the hon. Gentleman wishes to make these party political jibes, I am very…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)The hon. Lady posed a question and answered it herself, so I shall move on. My amendment 95 is perhaps made redundant by yesterday’s announcements, but amendment 96 talks about…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)I will give way only if it relates to the clause and the amendments, because I fear we have veered on to school funding, as opposed to academy orders.04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Christopher. In the light of the discussion that we had before lunch, I want to put on the record that those who are…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Ninth sitting)My amendment 94 largely seeks to do the same as the amendment on which we have just voted, so I do not propose to press it to a vote, but if I may, Sir Edward, I will just say one…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)It was me who asked about UTCs. In her answer, is the Minister suggesting that UTCs will be required to follow the full national curriculum, even if they have a very specific…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)I think it is unfair because, as I have pointed out, we saw the most damaging cuts, and the lack of keeping up with inflation—in terms of schools funding—from 2015 onwards. As…04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)I think we are diverging somewhat from the clause and the amendments.04 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Tenth sitting)He was a teacher before he became an MP. School leaders are raising concerns about their freedom to deviate being taken away. They feel that they need a degree of deviation where…04 Feb 2025