Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Kerry McCarthy Excerpts
Monday 1st November 2021

(3 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nadhim Zahawi Portrait Nadhim Zahawi
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I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for his question. He has been a champion for some of the new technologies and new evidence emerging around the world about identifying and screening for dyslexia. I will happily meet him and have a look at what we can do to scale that up in the United Kingdom.

Kerry McCarthy Portrait Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)
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When a child has a parent who goes to prison, too often the support services are all focused on the needs of the prisoner and are run by the Ministry of Justice. Is the Children’s Minister prepared to meet the charity Children Heard and Seen and me, so that they can hear the views and support needs of the children who are left behind, particularly where parental contact might not be appropriate?

Will Quince Portrait Will Quince
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We recognise the impact that having a parent in prison can have on a child’s wellbeing, behaviour, mental health and learning. That is why we have clear statutory guidance that support should be based on the needs of the child, not solely the characteristic of having a parent in prison. Of course I would be happy to meet the hon. Lady to discuss this important issue further.