Oral Answers to Questions

Anum Qaisar Excerpts

Monday 29th April 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Ms Anum Qaisar is not here to ask the next question, but will the Minister give an answer so that I can bring in the Opposition Front Bencher?

[Ms Anum Qaisar (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)]

9. What recent discussions she has had with her counterparts in the devolved Administrations on the potential merits of providing additional financial support to school pupils in the context of increases in the cost of living.

[The Minister for Schools (Damian Hinds)]

Ministers normally meet colleagues from the devolved Governments, as we were just discussing a moment ago. The Education Ministers Council was due to be hosted by the Scottish Government in late 2023, but, although we have been watching our doormats, no invitation has arrived. The UK Government are providing £108 billion over 2022-23 to 2024-25 to help with the cost of living.

Oral Answers to Questions

Anum Qaisar Excerpts

Monday 12th June 2023 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Please. Questions and answers have to be short and punchy. It may be a pre-arranged question and answer, but I am not going to have such long answers.

[Ms Anum Qaisar (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)]

T2. Data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency reveals that, despite achieving the same level of qualification, the salaries of first-class female graduates were £2,000 lower than those of their male counterparts. What steps is the Minister taking to foster women’s workplace progression once they leave university?

[The Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education (Robert Halfon)]

The hon. Lady will be pleased to know that male graduates earn more than £130,000 over their lifetime and female graduates £100,000, so graduates are coming out of university with good wages, and we know that more disadvantaged students are going to university than ever before.

Oral Answers to Questions

Anum Qaisar Excerpts

Monday 14th March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Walker]

I have to say that my hon. Friend always speaks out bravely from his own personal experience as a teacher, and I see that he has done so in his Telegraph article today. Pupils must form their own political views, and schools should not indoctrinate or encourage children to pin their colours to any particular political mast. The new guidance will help schools to make good decisions about working with external agencies and ensure that any engagement does not breach their legal duties.

[Ms Anum Qaisar (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)]

The harrowing scenes in Ukraine have shaken the world, and it has been reported that a number of students from the UK are still trapped in Ukraine. Can the Minister please confirm whether contact has been made with those students, and what support he can provide to them?

[Mr Walker]

Yes—

Oral Answers to Questions

Anum Qaisar Excerpts

Monday 6th September 2021 Commons Chamber

[Vicky Ford]

My hon. Friend is right to highlight the benefits of early reading for a child’s later learning. I know how much he has enjoyed reading with his son. In England, we achieved the highest ever score in reading at primary level in the most recent progress in international reading literacy study, with that improvement largely attributable to the increases in the average performance of boys as well as lower performing pupils. He might like to look at the Hungry Little Minds website, which gives advice to parents on supporting early literacy. I am delighted that two thirds of mainstream primary schools have signed up to deliver the Nuffield early language intervention that is supporting our youngest children in reception with their speech, literacy and language development.

[Anum Qaisar-Javed (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)]

The education of girls is vital for a fuller society. Media reports, however, detail how educated Afghan women are burning their degrees, wiping their social media accounts and concealing their identities in the hope that the Taliban will not find them and seek retribution for their gaining an education. What discussions has the Department had with the Foreign Secretary to fund schemes in Afghanistan that will enable girls to continue their education?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Just for the record, can we try to make supplementaries relevant to the question? I think the Minister is going to answer it.