Monday 4th March 2019

(5 years, 8 months ago)

Westminster Hall
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts

Westminster Hall is an alternative Chamber for MPs to hold debates, named after the adjoining Westminster Hall.

Each debate is chaired by an MP from the Panel of Chairs, rather than the Speaker or Deputy Speaker. A Government Minister will give the final speech, and no votes may be called on the debate topic.

This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record

Liz Twist Portrait Liz Twist
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I do not have a percentage figure, but it has been estimated that more than £2.8 billion would be needed to restore the situation to where it was in 2013.

Jim Cunningham Portrait Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab)
- Hansard - -

Will my hon. Friend give way?

Lord Swire Portrait Sir Hugo Swire (East Devon) (Con)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

Will the hon. Lady give way?

Liz Twist Portrait Liz Twist
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I will make some progress, but I will take some interventions shortly.

The campaign started with a letter co-signed by headteachers of primary, secondary and special educational needs and disability schools in Gateshead, who became increasingly alarmed by the impact that a real-terms reduction in school funding was having on the children and young people in their care. The letter, which was sent to parents before Christmas, informed them that schools may no longer be able to provide the same level of service and asked them for their support in raising the schools’ concerns with the Government.

This is a speech of two parts. The first part is about the facts and figures that we regularly bandy around the Chamber and in official papers. Eventually, they get down to the school heads and governors at the kind of scale where they can see the black holes in their budgets and try to work out how they can balance their books.

Jim Cunningham Portrait Mr Jim Cunningham
- Hansard - -

Coventry has experienced the same sort of difficulties as my hon. Friend’s constituency. I did a survey and visited several schools last year, which showed that out of 103 schools, 102 were suffering from teacher shortages, demoralisation, rising class numbers or low pay. Does she agree that the Government have to do something about that?

Liz Twist Portrait Liz Twist
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I certainly agree with my hon. Friend.