Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Julian Lewis Excerpts
Monday 31st January 2022

(2 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Alex Burghart Portrait Alex Burghart
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The hon. Lady will have heard my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State extend the timescale for T-levels on Second Reading of the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill. I am sure that she would have benefited from being able to do a T-level when she was at school. It would have given her nine weeks of work placement, and she would have done a qualification designed with employers that would have led to a job in the economy.

Julian Lewis Portrait Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con)
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Given that section 406(1)(b) of the Education Act 1996 already outlaws

“the promotion of partisan political views in the teaching of any subject in the school”,

will the Government take appropriate action without further delay against Brighton and Hove City Council, which is planning to indoctrinate seven-year-olds with critical race theory?

Robin Walker Portrait Mr Walker
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My hon. Friend the Minister for Equalities has been clear that critical race theory should never be taught as that—it is a contentious political viewpoint. We are working on making sure that we update our guidance on political impartiality in school, to make that absolutely clear.