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 2025HANSARD School Accountability and InterventionMay I associate myself with the Minister’s comments about the tragic stabbing in Sheffield? At this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the…03 Feb 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Eighth sitting)I would like to speak on the impact assessment.30 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Eighth sitting)Does the Minister recognise—as Dr Homden said in her oral evidence, when I questioned her on this matter—that given such a fundamental lack of provision in the state sector, which…30 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Eighth sitting)No, I do not wish to move it. I just wanted to make one comment on the last sentence from the Minister.30 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Eighth sitting)Imminently? Okay. Clause 25 ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 26 School attendance orders30 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Eighth sitting)Absolutely—I agree completely. I was talking to the director of children’s services in my own borough earlier this week about it, and read the provisions to him. I think he was…30 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Eighth sitting)I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Bournemouth East for the powerful way in which he shared his personal story. I thank him for that genuinely. I was quite saddened before…30 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Seventh sitting)Press release—there we go! This is a rare benefit of Brexit: we have the freedom to apply a zero rate of VAT on school uniform up to the age of 16. It is a basic issue of…30 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Eighth sitting)I rise to speak in support of clause 25 and to amendment 86 in my name. As I said on Second Reading, the Liberal Democrats strongly support the introduction of a register of…30 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Seventh sitting)I want to stress the concerns I expressed in my previous remarks about the quality and nutritional value of the food that will be offered. I recognise that school food standards…30 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Seventh sitting)I rise to speak to amendment 87, which stands in my name and those of my hon. Friends. My party and I strongly support the objective of clause 23—to bring down or minimise the…30 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Seventh sitting)It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship this morning, Mr Stringer. We live in a country where, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, three in 10 children are…30 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Seventh sitting)I beg to move amendment 87, in clause 23, page 44, leave out lines 22 to 29 and insert— “(1) The appropriate authority of a relevant school may not require a pupil at the school…30 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Sixth sitting)I join the shadow Minister in paying tribute to our social care workforce. Social care is an incredibly tough job, and I take my hat off to anybody who goes into the profession. I…28 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Sixth sitting)I thank the Minister for his kind remarks about my comments, but he is aware that the SEND system is in crisis—he and his fellow Ministers hear that every other week in the…28 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Sixth sitting)I do not have a philosophical problem with this clause either. I was slightly surprised to find it when I was reading the Bill and to hear where it came from, but I understand…28 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Sixth sitting)It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Betts. Clause 14 grants the Secretary of State the power to limit the profits of certain social care providers, so I will say…28 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Fifth sitting)It is good to hear that supported lodgings will be referred to in statutory guidance. I heard from the charity Home for Good, which is involved in setting up those networks of…28 Jan 2025HANSARDChildren's Wellbeing and Schools Bill (Fifth sitting)It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Stringer. I will ask the Minister a couple of questions about clause 9 that I hope he will address when he responds. We…28 Jan 2025