Children with SEND: Assessments and Support
Debate between Jamie Stone and Paul Davies(3 weeks, 4 days ago)
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Paul Davies
You put it very eloquently. I absolutely agree with you, and that is crucial within the teaching profession. I am sure it would have 100% support from the professional bodies.
It is good to see the Government engaging directly with families, educators and experts ahead of the schools White Paper this autumn. That will help to ensure that we shape reforms that deliver better and more relevant outcomes for families and children.
In Kirklees, we are making real strides in supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The mainstream school clusters are fostering collaboration and early intervention, and as many people have mentioned, early intervention is crucial. Those developments not only reflect the council’s commitment to inclusive education, but will also reduce reliance on costly independent placements, ensuring that every child in Kirklees has the opportunity to thrive. So let us keep pushing this forward. Let us ensure that every child in Kirklees and across the country has the chance to succeed—
Jamie Stone
I intervene on a Welshman as a Scotsman. We have the same problems in Scotland. You only have to look at the map of the constituencies in Scotland. Would the hon. Member agree that whatever way forward the Government establish, it would be best for it to be shared with the Scottish Government?
Paul Davies
I absolutely agree. This cannot be one part of the UK, one region or one city; it has to be across the UK. We have to see every child have that opportunity. I completely agree with you.
This is about us working together. It is about collaboration. It is very much about how, together, we can build a system that works for everyone.
European Union: UK Membership
Debate between Jamie Stone and Paul Davies(6 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Paul Davies (Colne Valley) (Lab)
I beg to move,
That this House has considered e-petition 700005 relating to the UK joining the European Union.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. The petition is on an important subject and has gained more than 128,537 signatures. The lead petitioner, Robert McMaster, is sitting in the Public Gallery with his amazing wife—we were chatting earlier on. He is not a stranger to this place: he informed me that he was shown around the whole estate as a very young boy as his father, Stanley McMaster, represented Belfast East between 1959 and 1974. Welcome back, Robert.
The petition makes a straightforward request of the Government:
“Apply for the UK to join the European Union as a full member as soon as possible”.
It states:
“I believe joining the EU would boost the economy, increase global influence, improve collaboration and provide stability & freedom. I believe that Brexit hasn’t brought any tangible benefit and there is no future prospect of any, that the UK has changed its mind and that this should be recognised.”
This matter has sparked considerable debate across our nation since the referendum in 2016, and it is essential that we approach it with a balanced perspective, considering both the benefits and the challenges that it presents. The decision to leave the European Union was a momentous one and has had profound implications for our country. We must reflect on the journey that we have taken since and consider the path that lies ahead. The question before us is whether the UK should seek to rejoin the European Union, and if so, what the implications of such a move would be.
Many people would contend that there are several compelling arguments in favour of the UK rejoining the European Union, and I am sure that we will hear many of those during the debate. First, EU membership provides significant economic benefits. The EU is one of the largest single markets in the world, and being part of it would grant UK businesses access to more than 450 million consumers. The argument is that that access would boost trade, create jobs and stimulate economic growth. I am sure that a number of colleagues in the Chamber today will argue that rejoining the EU would facilitate smoother trade relations with our closest neighbours.
Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)
Mr Mundell, you and I both know that the European structural funds were fundamental to some of the remotest parts of the UK for investment in harbours, roads and other infrastructure. May I just say to the hon. Member that that was a benefit that we enjoyed when we were part of the EU and, whatever happens in the future, we hope that this Government or future Governments will seek to replicate and replace it?