"I am not quite clear what the right hon. Gentleman is driving at with that question. What I have said in response to the very sharp decline in the birth rate is that as a Government we want to make sure that people are able to make choices that are …..." Bridget Phillipson - View Speech
"There are 60,000 fewer children in primary schools this year. I know the right hon. Lady was at the Treasury, so I would expect a bit more when it comes to her maths. It would be nonsensical to recruit even more primary school teachers when we have falling rolls. We …..." Bridget Phillipson - View Speech
"I join my hon. Friend in condemning those remarks. I am aware that the Reform UK leader said, in similar comments,
“I’m not being heartless, I’m being frank”.
Well, I will be frank: Reform UK would plunge the SEND system into further disarray. Only Labour will back the children with …..." Bridget Phillipson - View Speech
"I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the work he has done in this area over many years and for the way he champions this cause here on behalf of his constituents. I can confirm that children with SEND have a legal right to additional support and that Labour …..." Bridget Phillipson - View Speech
"Until that final point, I thought the hon. Gentleman raised some serious concerns, which we have heard this afternoon from many colleagues across the House who need us to bring forward reform to deliver better outcomes for children with SEND. If the Conservative party wants to work with us to …..." Bridget Phillipson - View Speech
"With your permission, Mr Speaker, I would like first to address last week’s tragic incident in Minehead. I am sure that all Members will join me in offering support and prayers to everyone affected by the Minehead middle school bus crash last Thursday. Our deepest sympathies and condolences go to …..." Bridget Phillipson - View Speech
"Like the hon. Gentleman, I welcome the hard work of our teachers, leaders and support staff, and I am always pleased to hear about improvements in standards. This Government are ambitious for every child, and our new regional improvement in standards and excellence teams are working across schools to bring …..." Bridget Phillipson - View Speech
"This Labour Government are delivering the teachers that are desperately needed right across our schools. We were left behind a terrible crisis when it came to recruitment and retention, but this Labour Government know that improving standards in our schools requires having the best possible teachers available to teach all …..." Bridget Phillipson - View Speech
"We have heard this afternoon from my hon. Friend and so many Members across the House about the urgent need to make improvements for children with SEND. We are laying the foundations with more investment in the system, through both the high needs budget and capital, so we have the …..." Bridget Phillipson - View Speech