Commons
Westminster Hall
14 July 2026
2 contributions
Support for Pig Farmers
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Christopher. I congratulate the hon. Member for Gordon and Buchan (Harriet Cross) on securing this incredibly important debate, and on the constructive manner in which she contributed this afternoon.
I am grateful to all Members who have contri…
I am very alive to the issues. That is why engagement with the sector is very important. I have powers available to me, if necessary, but we are keen to monitor the situation. That is why today’s debate has been so important.
We are aware that the sector experienced a temporary backlog on farms ear…
Commons
Oral Questions
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
9 July 2026
2 contributions
Tuna Fishing Licences
The Government secured a major increase in the UK’s annual bluefin tuna quota from 63 tonnes to around 230 tonnes, creating new opportunities for fishers across the United Kingdom. Licences were allocated through a fair, transparent process, with successful applicants selected by a ballot after meet…
As my hon. Friend rightly says, one Scottish fisher secured a commercial bluefin tuna licence in 2025, authorised through a fair and transparent application process. That fisher was unsuccessful in 2026. As set out in guidance, due to demand, authorisations are currently issued for one year only and…
Commons
Oral Questions
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
9 July 2026
4 contributions
Pig Farmers
This Government are backing the vital British pig sector by delivering fairer supply chains and stronger protections for producers. The Fair Dealing Obligations (Pigs) Regulations 2025 are ending unfair contract practices, with all pre-existing contracts required to be compliant by 13 August. This w…
I pay tribute to all those who work in the pig sector across our country. I recognise the challenges that pig farmers are facing. This Government are taking action to strengthen protections for pig farmers, particularly where there are severe losses and disruption, as the sector has been facing in r…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
9 July 2026
5 contributions
Topical Questions
As I mentioned, I am due to meet the National Pig Association in due course. I take those issues seriously and I want to ensure that there is certainty and clarity in the sector. We recently published our farming road map, which brings that certainty and consistency, but I am happy to follow up on t…
I thank my hon. Friend for his work on those important matters. This is about fairness for consumers and farmers. We want people to know where their food comes from, trust what they are buying, and back British farmers who meet our high standards. I would happily meet my hon. Friend to discuss his h…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
1 July 2026
5 contributions
Fishing Industry: Government Support
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Sir Alec.
I am very grateful to the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East (Seamus Logan) for the timely opportunity to take part in my first fisheries debate and to set out the priority I place on this industry. I congratulate him on the…
I will make some progress.
I strongly believe in working with those in industry who best know the solutions and how to deliver lasting change, so I will be listening to and working with the industry. I look forward to getting out on the quayside, accepting the invitation from the hon. Member for Ab…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
24 June 2026
Animal Shelters: Regulation of Euthanasia
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Ms Furniss. I congratulate the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell) on securing this important debate. He has championed animal welfare for many years in this place. I also thank the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) for his insightful in…
Commons
Westminster Hall
24 June 2026
4 contributions
Farming: Financial Sustainability
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Turner. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for North Northumberland (David Smith) on securing this important debate and thank all those who have made contributions this afternoon.
I am delighted to see the excellent Labour rural research gro…
I thank my hon. Friend for his reminder of the Conservative party’s record of failing rural Britain. I am very happy to take away the action he suggested. If we are to deliver our road map successfully, it will require lots of cross-Government working, and I am very committed to making that happen.
…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
10 September 2025
Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [Lords]
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I wish to report an error in the announcement of the Division results for the first vote this evening, which was on new clause 2. I can confirm that the correct numbers were 69 for the Ayes and 300 for the Noes.
Commons
Ministerial Statement
4 September 2025
45 contributions
Early Education and Childcare
With permission, I will make a statement to update the House on this Government’s vital work to give every child the best start in life.
Within months of taking office we published our plan for change, a promise to improve the lives of working people and break down barriers to opportunity for peopl…
I start by welcoming the shadow Minister to his place on the Opposition Front Bench, but it is shocking that even now the Conservatives cannot bring themselves to recognise the significance of Labour’s childcare expansion, nor can they celebrate the new school-based nurseries that make more affordab…
+43 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
21 July 2025
2 contributions
Topical Questions
The hon. Member will know that I met the family of Genevieve Meehan recently. That was a tragic case. We need to make sure that we are doing everything we possibly can to protect children in nursery settings. That is why I am pleased that in the “best start in life” strategy, published just two week…
Ensuring that schools and colleges have the resources and buildings they need is a key part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity. I will be very happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss these issues further.
Commons
Oral Questions
21 July 2025
3 contributions
Rebuilding Schools
This Government have made a long-term commitment to improve the condition of schools and colleges. We are investing almost £20 billion in the school rebuilding programme through to 2035, delivering rebuilding projects at over 500 schools across England, including eight schools in Scarborough and Whi…
We have increased funding to improve the condition of schools to £2.1 billion for 2025-26, which includes more than £7 million for North Yorkshire to invest in its maintained schools, including Springhead. North Yorkshire has also been allocated £6.8 million for 2025-26 to provide suitable and acces…
+1 more contribution in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
21 July 2025
2 contributions
Security in Schools: Bomb Threats
Safeguarding children in schools is a priority for this Government, and schools have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. Departmental guidance is clear that schools and colleges should have a policy and an emergency plan in place to manage and respond to security-re…
I thank my hon. Friend for our meeting last week. As I explained to him then, the Department for Education publishes the protective security and preparedness guidance, which sets out how schools should respond to bomb threats and how to embed a security culture. Action Counters Terrorism for Educati…
Commons
Oral Questions
21 July 2025
2 contributions
Magna Carta School
Ensuring that schools and colleges have the resources and buildings they need is a key part of our mission to break down the barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life. For this project, I can confirm that the Department is in the process of finalising the feasibility study,…
I am very happy to meet the hon. Member.
Commons
Oral Questions
21 July 2025
4 contributions
Classroom Disruption: Smartphones
Mobile phones have no place in schools. Government guidance is clear that schools should prohibit the use of devices with smart technology throughout the school day. Research from the Children’s Commissioner shows that 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools already have policies restr…
I have said that phones should not be out in schools, and heads have the power to enforce that. The Opposition backed those measures. If they felt they needed to go further, they had 14 long years in which to do so.
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
21 July 2025
4 contributions
Early Years
Our landmark strategy on giving every child the best start in life sets out plans to deliver Best Start family hubs to make access to early education easier and more affordable, and to improve quality in settings and reception classes. The strategy is backed by £1.5 billion over the next three years…
I thank my hon. Friend for our excellent visit to Curwen primary school last week, where I saw excellent work on supporting children’s speech and language to deliver for some of our most vulnerable children and families. Our spending review commitments are a downpayment on the child poverty strategy…
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
21 July 2025
5 contributions
Further Education Estate
Excellent further education colleges are a key building block of the Government’s opportunity and growth missions. The Government are committed to improving the condition of schools and colleges in England and will invest nearly £3 billion per year by 2034-2035, rising from £2.4 billion in 2024-25.
Applications to become construction technical excellence colleges closed on 4 July. We look forward to informing successful candidates in due course. In addition, £375 million of capital investment will be invested between 2026 and 2030 to support post-16 capacity to accommodate the additional learn…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
21 July 2025
5 contributions
Mental Health Support in Schools
This Government are committed to improving mental health support for all children and young people. That is why we are providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding mental health support teams so that every child and young person has access to early support …
I thank my hon. Friend for the tireless work she has done on these important issues in this place. We are grateful for the contribution of 3 Dads Walking in developing the new RSHE guidance and we pay tribute to their inspirational determination and the courage shown in their work to raise awareness…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Debate
16 July 2025
2 contributions
Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the matter of giving every child the best start in life.
This Government have a mission to break down the barriers to opportunity for children and young people, so that background does not determine a child’s future and successes. After 14 dark years u…
We are obviously working through the detail of our commitments as I speak, but I will certainly take his point back to the Department—I know that officials are working very closely with colleagues in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. What is really powerful is the fact that …
Commons
Westminster Hall
9 July 2025
Early Years Providers: Government Support
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Mr Pritchard. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Sherwood Forest (Michelle Welsh) for securing a debate on this most important subject. I thank all Members for their contributions, including the Chair of the Education Committee, my hon. Friend the …
Commons
Westminster Hall
8 July 2025
4 contributions
Generative Artificial Intelligence: Schools
It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Sir Jeremy. I thank my near-ish neighbour, the right hon. Member for East Hampshire (Damian Hinds), for securing a debate on this important subject and for the constructive and collegiate way in which he has sought to conduct it. I thank all other Mem…
I will give way, but I am conscious that the right hon. Gentleman was not here at the start of the debate.
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 July 2025
Children with Allergies: School Safeguarding
It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Ms Lewell. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Redditch (Chris Bloore) for securing and opening this debate. I have greatly valued the opportunity to listen to his insights and hear the arguments on this important topic, especially given his personal exper…
Commons
Oral Questions
Education
16 June 2025
4 contributions
Topical Questions
I completely agree with my hon. Friend. Providing over half a million children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds with a free, nutritious lunch every school day will lead to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes, including on attendance, meaning that children can get the bes…
Around 50 mainstream private schools close each year. The level of fees charged by private schools is not a matter for the Department; it is a contractual matter between private schools and parents.
+2 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Education
16 June 2025
5 contributions
Mental Health Support: Schools
This Government are committed to breaking down the barriers to opportunity, which is why we are providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school and expanding mental health support teams so that every child can access early support before problems escalate.
I am happy to hear about the successful project in my hon. Friend’s constituency, and I am interested to learn more as we share further details. Separately, to support education staff, the Department provides a range of guidance and practical resources on promoting and supporting pupils’ mental heal…
+3 more contributions in this session
Commons
Oral Questions
Education
16 June 2025
5 contributions
School Estate
This Government are committed to sustained investment to improve the school estate, in order to give children the best start in life. We will increase annual capital investment for maintenance in real terms, rising from £2.1 billion this financial year to around £2.3 billion in 2029-30—over £400 mil…
The hon. Member has not been shy in lobbying me on these issues, but I would be very happy to meet him again. He will know that the Department provides advice and support on a case-by-case basis, and I am happy to discuss these issues with him further.
+3 more contributions in this session