Business of the House
Debate between Alan Campbell and Steve Yemm(1 week, 5 days ago)
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Sir Alan Campbell
The hon. Lady will know that the changes in the Budget last year were to find the money to support public services, so these are not easy decisions by any means. I know that her concern about hospices and the fantastic work they do in our local communities is felt across the House. She may wish to seek a debate on this issue, because the Government will at that point be able to remind the House that we have in fact put in more resources; £100 million has gone into hospices in the last year.
Steve Yemm (Mansfield) (Lab)
Ahead of the Budget, will the Leader of the House allow a debate during Government time to discuss the potential economic benefits of releasing the British Coal staff superannuation scheme investment reserve in order to increase the pensions of members of the BCSSS?
Sir Alan Campbell
As the House will know, my hon. Friend has been a formidable champion for mineworkers in his constituency and their families, and I pay tribute to him for that. The Government continue to meet with BCSSS trustees, and I will certainly draw his question to the attention of Ministers.
Business of the House
Debate between Alan Campbell and Steve Yemm(1 month, 1 week ago)
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Steve Yemm (Mansfield) (Lab)
Eleven-year-old Jake from my constituency, who has special educational needs and disabilities including Down’s syndrome, has been left without appropriate schooling provision for this year because of the failings of Nottinghamshire county council. Does the Leader of the House agree that children such as Jake should not be left behind? Will the Government find time to hold a debate on how we can deliver the provision that is needed for young people with SEND like my constituent?
Sir Alan Campbell
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise this important matter. The Government believe that the SEND system is broken; it does not work for children and their carers. As part of our plan for change, we are committed to creating a new system that truly supports every child and we will set out our approach in the forthcoming schools White Paper. I understand from my own constituency how people at the forefront of this find it hard to know why they have to wait. We have announced £1 billion in extra funding to help schools with the additional costs they face, including for SEND provision, and I encourage whichever authority has the power to spend that money to do so wisely and quickly.