Schools White Paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving

Debate between Bridget Phillipson and Rebecca Paul

Monday 23rd February 2026 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

As a fellow coalfields MP, I would be more than happy to do that. I recognise what my hon. Friend says about the challenges that families face. My message to parents is that while we want to ensure a phased and careful transition from the system we have to the better system that I believe is possible, we will, alongside our work on that bigger change, be investing from this year in capital, people and training to make the system that we have work better and far more quickly,

[Rebecca Paul (Reigate) (Con)]

I draw attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. The key concern I hear from parents and carers in Reigate, Redhill, Banstead and our villages is that they fought for years, or are still fighting, to get support. Can the Education Secretary reassure my constituents that they will not lose the hard-fought-for support that they are entitled to?

[Bridget Phillipson]

We will expand and improve support for more children in our system. There will be greater legal rights for a greater number of children, and we will ensure that if parents need support when children are struggling, we do not wait for arbitrary, lengthy bureaucratic processes; we get on and deliver it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Bridget Phillipson and Rebecca Paul

Wednesday 3rd September 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Rebecca Paul (Reigate) (Con)]

The European Court of Human Rights has confirmed that at least 19 public bodies, including organisations across the policing, education and health sectors, are misrepresenting the law on single-sex spaces. That is a breach of the Equality Act 2010, as confirmed by the recent Supreme Court ruling. Has the Minister been told which bodies they are, and how can women and girls have any confidence in them if they are knowingly and deliberately breaking the law?

[Bridget Phillipson]

The results of the previous Government’s call for input showed that, although the law was being followed in the majority of cases, a small number of examples were identified that seemed to have misinterpreted how the single-sex exemptions of the Equality Act operate. As the hon. Lady will appreciate, it is for the independent regulator, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, to follow up on these issues through the appropriate processes. It is doing so in more detail and will work with organisations to put that right.

“For Women Scotland” Supreme Court Ruling

Debate between Bridget Phillipson and Rebecca Paul

Tuesday 22nd April 2025 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

So much for dignity and respect, eh?

[Rebecca Paul (Reigate) (Con)]

I welcome the clear ruling from the Supreme Court, and I thank the Minister for her statement, but I am really disappointed that there was no mention of schools at all in the statement. Many schools are teaching gender ideology as if it is fact and are not providing single-sex facilities or single-sex sports teams. How will she ensure that schools now comply with the ruling and the law as it has always been?

[Bridget Phillipson]

I suggest to the hon. Lady that she review Hansard after this statement.