Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Grahame Morris and Gavin Williamson

Monday 18th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[Gavin Williamson]

This is something everyone in this House feels incredibly passionately about. I know through seeing at first hand, coming from a family with parents who fostered for many years, how important it is to get high-quality children’s social care right in this country. I want a real revolution to come out of this report, and I am incredibly pleased that Josh MacAlister has taken on this role to deliver the changes that I think Members on both sides of the House want. I have said quite clearly that I do not want him to hold back in tackling difficult issues. I want to see change, improvement and children’s lives transformed. By working on a cross-party basis, I believe that that is what we can deliver.

[Grahame Morris (Easington) (Lab) [V]]

  The education charity Parentkind revealed that only 9% of parents—[Inaudible.]

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Grahame Morris and Gavin Williamson

Monday 20th January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Grahame Morris (Easington) (Lab)]

T4. I would like to take issue with responses given earlier by Ministers. May I point out that Durham County Council did not receive any of the funding allocated by the Department to provide holiday activities and meals for disadvantaged families? More than 7,000 children, 40% of children in my constituency, live in poverty. Is it not time we applied an old Labour principle and prioritised the resources for the areas of greatest need?

[Gavin Williamson]

This was a pilot scheme rolled out in a number of areas right across the country. With changed representation in County Durham, I imagine that there will be a much stronger voice for County Durham in making sure that it gets things to happen. I look forward to meeting Members of Parliament from County Durham to talk about what opportunities they can deliver for their county.