Contributions
1,529 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsThe reason we are rolling out and expanding our devices package is that we realise how important it is for all children, especially those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds.…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsIt was interesting to listen to the hon. Lady’s comments about students, which are probably indicative of some of the challenges in the Scottish education system, given that it…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsI pay tribute to Computacenter, which has done an amazing job of distributing hundreds of thousands of devices right across the country. The hon. Gentleman is right to say that we…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsAs my hon. Friend will have heard in my statement, that is exactly what I have said we would do. For clarity, there are many colleges that know for their students’ future…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsAt every stage, we have put the safety of students, pupils, teachers and the whole workforce—and including the whole community—at the heart of everything we have done. All the…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsMy hon. Friend makes an important point. Our great advantage is that we have the opportunity and the time to roll out extensive training, guidance and support for those teachers…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsMy hon. Friend is absolutely right to point out that children on an EHC plan are entitled to, and should be allowed to, go into school and receive the care and support that school…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsAs my own daughter was due to take her GCSE exams later this year, I can assure my hon. Friend that we very much hope that this statement has given a clear sense of certainty and…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsOf course one of the great advantages of schools being back all the way through the latter half of last year is that teachers and those working in schools have been in the best…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsAs a former North Yorkshire County councillor and former member of the education committee of North Yorkshire County Council, I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. It is vital…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsEarly evidence from SAGE has shown that early years provision had a smaller relative impact on transmission rates than primary schools, which in turn had a smaller relative impact…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsThe hon. Lady raises an important point, and it is something that I have already raised in discussions with Ofqual. We obviously have to make that judgment call in line with the…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsI very much join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to not just the teachers in Romford, but all those support staff who open up the schools, welcome the children and are such an…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsThe hon. Lady will probably be aware that just before Christmas, the Government announced additional support for university students, with an extra package to help those…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsI have asked officials to organise a meeting between my hon. Friend, my right hon. Friend the Minister for School Standards and me next week to discuss this. We all recognise what…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsI always enjoyed working with the hon. Member, in terms of the work we did with the Motor Neurone Disease Association over a number of years. He often speaks a lot of good…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsThis is an incredibly challenging problem for many people living in rural communities. I would be very happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss what further measures we could take.…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsThe statistics bear out something rather different from what the hon. Lady said. We have seen a massive expansion of the university sector, with more young people going to…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsThe hon. Lady is absolutely right. Where there is a shared commitment to see schools open, it is important to work together. I meet lots of organisations, including trade unions,…06 Jan 2021HANSARDCovid-19: Educational SettingsI thank the hon. Lady for raising such an incredibly important point, and it would be great to have an opportunity to meet her and other members of the all-party parliamentary…06 Jan 2021