Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bridget Phillipson and Mark Ferguson

Monday 10th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

No, I do not, because that is not actually the case. I am afraid that is not the only area where the hon. Lady is mistaken. The Conservatives should swallow their pride and welcome these breakfast clubs, which will transform the life chances of children across our country, are incredibly popular with parents, and will ensure that all our children get a brilliant start to the school day.

[Mark Ferguson (Gateshead Central and Whickham) (Lab)]

I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I welcome Opposition Members’ interest in breakfast clubs. Can the Secretary of State confirm that all primary schools and all primary school students will have breakfast clubs by the end of this Parliament?

[Bridget Phillipson]

I recognise the incredible work that the early adopters will be taking forward, but it is the case that all primary schools will offer a universal free breakfast club under this Labour Government. Opposition Members can raise the previous schemes that they left behind all they like, but those schemes were far less generous. This Labour Government are trebling investment in breakfast clubs.

Children’s Social Care

Debate between Bridget Phillipson and Mark Ferguson

Monday 18th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

I am working closely with the Deputy Prime Minister in this crucial area, and there will be more to say before too long about the local government finance settlement. As the hon. Member identifies, it is important that we rebalance the children’s social care system away from crisis intervention and towards more timely and early support. We know that that is where we make the biggest difference to children’s lives, and that is also what is driving the cost pressures that, sadly, lots of local authorities are seeing, as ever increasing numbers of children go through the children’s social care system. We are determined to make progress and to put more support in place earlier for families.

[Mark Ferguson (Gateshead Central and Whickham) (Lab)]

I wish to associate myself with the comments of the Secretary of State. While children in care are incredibly important, it is also important that we do our best for those who are care experienced. In my constituency, 50% of those who leave care are not in education, employment or training, as I heard when I visited Changing Lives at Eslington House in my constituency on Friday. What more can be done to support care leavers?

[Bridget Phillipson]

My hon. Friend is right to identify that, sadly, for too many care-experienced young people coming out of the system, their outcomes are just not good enough and the facts in terms of their life chances are stark. We are determined to change that. I am working closely with the Deputy Prime Minister as part of the care leavers inter-ministerial board, because actions across many Departments could make a big and meaningful difference to the life chances of care-experienced young people. As part of that, it was incredibly powerful to listen to the experiences of two young people who had just come through the system, and in all our discussions in this important area we must listen to the experiences and views of those who have direct lived experience of how the system has let them down, and what needs to change in future.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bridget Phillipson and Mark Ferguson

Monday 9th September 2024 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

I would caution the hon. Gentleman about believing everything he reads in the press. Times tables are an important part of our system. We will drive high and rising standards from Government. Rather than picking pointless fights and avoidable industrial action, what he will see from this Government is a different relationship, as we work in partnership with teachers, school leaders and support staff to deliver better life chances for all of our children.

[Mark Ferguson (Gateshead Central and Whickham) (Lab)]

T10. The last set of PISA results under the Conservative Government showed standards in England’s schools going backwards: backwards in reading—[Interruption]—maybe Conservative Members should listen—backwards in maths and backwards in science. Does my right hon. Friend agree that that is far from a record to be proud of?

[Bridget Phillipson]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Conservative Members do not like it, but it is absolutely true. I would add that, when it comes to the concerns my hon. Friend raises, we see stark attainment gaps in the difference between what our poorest and more affluent children are able to achieve. That blights the life chances of children in his constituency of Gateshead. We are determined to make progress on that, unlike the previous Government.