Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Daniel Zeichner Excerpts
Monday 1st November 2021

(2 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Robin Walker Portrait Mr Walker
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I am grateful to my hon. Friend. As he says, as a former teacher, he recognises the benefit of children being in schools. I can assure him that the Department regularly talks to the Department for Transport about school transport. Last year, we gave Somerset over £1.1 million of additional funding for school and college transport in response to the need for social distancing on public transport. I shall continue those conversations.

Daniel Zeichner Portrait Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge) (Lab)
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Of course, far too many children in rural areas end up getting driven to school, but does the Minister agree that when they finally arrive at their destination, they will be slightly surprised to find that this Government’s ambition for funding is just back at the level that they inherited from the last Labour Government in 2010?