I thank the Chancellor and her team for a very welcome Budget. This is our Government’s second successive Budget, and it is focused on addressing the cost of living. It will ensure that everyone pays their fair share towards public services, and it invests in communities up and down the country. I w…
I thank the hon. Member for his support for the Chancellor’s Budget and the lifting of the two-child benefit limit. I agree with what he said.
I remind Members what my hon. Friend the Member for Hackney South and Shoreditch (Dame Meg Hillier) said: 70% of children in poverty have parents who are in…
Last month, there was an increase in knife crime across my constituency, and it was carried out not necessarily by younger people, but by older people. I know that the Government are determined to crack down on knife crime. What more are they doing to tackle knife crime?
CommonsPrime Minister's QuestionsPrime Minister5 November 2025
Q14. Hurricane Melissa has devastated Jamaica and left the country in crisis. The Imperial College storm model states that the hurricane would have been unlikely without climate change. I know that the Prime Minister is representing the UK at the COP30 summit against climate change. Will my good a…
T3. I know that the Chancellor and her team are well aware that families, such as those in my constituency of Lewisham East, are struggling with homelessness and temporary accommodation. Will she consider increasing finance to local councils so that they can better support constituents and improve t…
CommonsPrime Minister's QuestionsPrime Minister29 October 2025
I am wearing all black today to demonstrate my sorrow over a fatal stabbing that took place in my constituency yesterday. We all know that one death is one death too many, but I have had two deaths in my constituency in the last few weeks. My community needs reassurance. Knife crime must end. Will t…
I am pleased to be standing here this evening with this petition on behalf of my constituents. It states:
“The petition of Grove Park station users”—
and local residents and local businesses—
“Declares that the Station needs improvement.”
It is shameful that these improvements have not already t…
CommonsWestminster Hall4 September 20254 contributions
It is a pleasure to speak under your chairship, Ms Lewell. This morning, I laid before Parliament a written ministerial statement confirming that the adoption and special guardianship support fund will continue next year. I thank the hon. Member for Mid Sussex (Alison Bennett) for securing this impo…
I will make as much progress as I can, because I have been asked many questions in this debate and in many other scenarios and areas. It is very important that I am at least heard for the majority of my speech.
That is why the Government are committed to ensuring that these children and their famil…
I absolute agree with my hon. Friend. This Government will indeed stop shutting good people out of good jobs. He is probably aware that the Department funds apprentices to achieve a qualification as part of their training. We do not set entry requirements; these are decisions for employers. However,…
The adoption and special guardianship support fund provides valuable therapeutic support to children and families, which is why we have committed to continuing the £50 million to this financial year. We have been holding discussions with key stakeholders, and we will soon announce the next steps for…
Labour is rebalancing opportunities towards young people, giving them the skills they need to get on. Apprenticeship starts, achievements and participation are all up under this Government. From August, we are introducing foundation apprenticeships to support young people into careers in critical se…
I thank my hon. Friend for his questions and, indeed, for his lobbying. Labour’s technical excellence colleges will be crucial to our plans to rewire our school system to unlock opportunity for young people and drive growth for our country. My hon. Friend is right: West Suffolk College is an outstan…
I take this opportunity to thank all post-16 providers and staff for their tireless work over the last academic year and wish them a restful summer break. Following the autumn Budget, this Government made available more than £400 million extra planned spending on 16-to-19 education in the financial …
I thank my hon. Friend for mentioning his fantastic City of Stoke-on-Trent sixth-form college. I reassure him and other Members that this Government are committed to ensuring that there is a place in education or training for every 16 to 18-year-old who wants one. Details of the £375 million of capi…
I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the great gains that the Labour Government have made through our plan for change. Since entering power, we have cut red tape, tilted the system towards young people and committed unprecedented investment for our school system. We are going further a…
I thank the hon. Member for his question and his thoughtfulness regarding the levy and its operation. As he is fully aware, skills are a devolved matter and funding in the devolved Administration remains the responsibility of that Government. We will continue to engage with the devolved Administrati…
I am grateful to the many hon. Members who participated in this debate on such an important subject. I will refer to hon. Members as I progress through my closing speech. It would be remiss of me if I did not mention the strong representation from Staffordshire.
The passion and enthusiasm that came…
I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting the significance of the Government’s work, the important issue of poverty, and the need to keep on making sure that the Government drive out poverty and meet the needs of children across our country.
As we have set out today, our “best start in life” strategy…
It is a real pleasure to speak this afternoon, Ms Lewell. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Andrew Ranger) on securing this important debate. I acknowledge all the remarkable contributions from hon. Members across the Chamber. My hon. Friend is clearly very driven and knowledgeab…
I agree with my hon. Friend that it is time for a new direction for Scotland with Scottish Labour. In England, we are making over £1 billion of additional investment per year in skills by 2028-29 to support young people into the industries of the future. That is because we are unlocking opportunity …
CommonsOral QuestionsEducation16 June 20253 contributions
Where adoption is the right option for children, it needs to happen without delay, and early permanence placements are a crucial way to offer children stability. Labour believes that children growing up in our country deserve the best start in life, which is why we have provided £250,000 in funding …
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important topic; he is a champion for children in Cannock Chase. I agree that we should continue to promote early permanence. Adoption England has published national standards to promote and shape early permanence practice across the country. I regularly meet …
+1 more contribution in this session
CommonsOral QuestionsEducation16 June 20255 contributions
Apprenticeship starts by young people collapsed under the Conservatives. Labour is rebalancing the system towards young people to help them get on in life by backing them and giving them the skills they need to get jobs and grow our economy.
We are encouraging more employers, including the NHS, to invest in upskilling their staff who are over 22 years old and to deliver level 7 apprenticeships where they benefit those businesses and individuals. It will be for employers to determine the most appropriate training, and there are other tra…
I congratulate the right hon. Member for Beverley and Holderness (Graham Stuart) on securing this debate on this important subject. I know he has a strong interest in special educational needs and disability, and I commend him for his 20 years of advocating for change. He spoke widely about many are…
I would like to make some progress before I begin to give way.
Members from across the House will be aware of the challenges facing the SEND system—a system that is difficult for parents, carers and young people to navigate, and where outcomes for children are often poor. That has been mentioned by…
It is a real pleasure to speak under your chairship, Mr Vickers. I thank the many hon. Members for participating in this debate on an important subject. I am sure that you would agree with me, Mr Vickers, that their enthusiasm and passion means we can rest assured that this all adds up and that ther…
I recognise that there are many champions of children and families in Westminster Hall this afternoon. Indeed, there are many passionate Members who really want the right outcomes for children who are adopted and who are in kinship care through special guardianship or child arrangements orders and o…
I will give way to the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Tom Gordon) first.
I congratulate the right hon. Member for Tonbridge (Tom Tugendhat) on securing this important debate. I, too, wish to pay tribute to all the staff and students at the colleges and the school mentioned in the debate, North Kent College and Hadlow rural community school. In fact, I wish to extend that…