Oral Answers to Questions

Josh Simons Excerpts

Monday 27th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Josh Simons (Makerfield) (Lab)]

18. What steps she is taking to increase the number of children achieving the early learning goals.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Bridget Phillipson)]

Children growing up in our country deserve the best start in life—nothing less. Through our plan for change, Labour will get a record share of children school-ready. We will make that a reality through opening new school-based nurseries, rolling out childcare, earlier intervention, speech and language support, help for parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities, and wider SEND reform. That is rightly ambitious, and we are determined to deliver it.

[Josh Simons]

As a Jewish person, Mr Speaker, may I take this opportunity to thank you for everything you have done to help the House to remember my ancestors and those of other Jewish people whom we remember today?

Welcome funding was announced for Abram Bryn Gates school in Bamfurlong, in my constituency, in the last free school funding round, but the school has just been told that that funding has been paused, possibly until 2028. It is a really important school, because it provides support for kids to stay in mainstream education even when they have left. When can my constituents expect a decision to be made on the funding for this school?

[Bridget Phillipson]

My hon. Friend is right to raise that issue on behalf of his constituents. I would be more than happy to meet him to discuss it further. We are working rapidly through the whole free schools pipeline to ensure that we are creating places where they are required—that includes specialist provision—and that there is a strong case and good value for the taxpayer.

Government’s Childcare Expansion

Josh Simons Excerpts

Thursday 17th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

The final zinger of a question is from Josh Simons.

[Josh Simons (Makerfield) (Lab)]

We’ll see! I am intrigued to hear Conservative Members’ attempts to defend their record. Moments ago, the hon. Member for Christchurch (Sir Christopher Chope) said that the right hon. Member for North West Essex (Mrs Badenoch) is “preoccupied with her children” and cannot be the Leader of the Opposition while spending time with her family. This comes after she herself said that maternity leave has “gone too far”. Does the Minister agree that whereas this Government are working hard to back the hope that children represent, Conservative Members are, in the end, the same old Tories?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank my hon. Friend for his question. Early years provision was cast off under the Tories, and we are bringing it back into the fold as a crucial part of our education system. We are committed to giving every young person the best start in life, and I look forward to working with him to make that happen.