Educational Settings: Reopening Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Educational Settings: Reopening

Ellie Reeves Excerpts
Tuesday 26th January 2021

(3 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nigel Evans Portrait Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans)
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I am not sure the Minister was the right person to ask that question of, but none the less, we will move on.

Ellie Reeves Portrait Ellie Reeves (Lewisham West and Penge) (Lab) [V]
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Special schools in my constituency, including Brent Knoll, Riverside and Watergate, remain open. They are doing a tremendous job and often provide personal and medical care on top of teaching. I echo calls for making school staff a priority for vaccinations, but will the Minister also consider treating staff in special schools akin to frontline care workers and prioritising them for the vaccine without delay?

Nick Gibb Portrait Nick Gibb
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That is an important point. As I have said previously, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s priority is mortality, which is based principally on age, and it also prioritises those working for the national health service and in care homes. The second phase will be occupationally based, and we will be making the case for staff in special schools as well as other staff in the education sector.