Oral Answers to Questions

Lindsay Hoyle Excerpts

Monday 21st July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

I would be very happy to do so. As the right hon. Gentleman just heard, we are seeing big increases in initial teacher training acceptances in many of those key subjects such as maths and science. On the commitment we have made, we had 60,000 fewer children in primary over the course of the last year and, as a former holder of this office, he would rightly expect that we target our efforts in areas of greatest need. Sadly, we are seeing a big decline in the number of children in primary, with the numbers forecast to fall by another 165,000 over the next few years, so we are focusing our efforts where they are needed.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Neil O’Brien (Harborough, Oadby and Wigston) (Con)]

The Secretary of State just said that the Government were turning around declines in teacher numbers. Under the last Government the number of teachers went up by 27,000; under this Government it is down by 400. That is the opposite of the truth.

One thing that drives people out of teaching is poor discipline, yet the Government have abolished behaviour hubs, despite the evidence that they were working. The Government said they would put in place new behaviour ambassadors, who were supposed to be in place on 4 July, but the contract has now lapsed and the position is vacant. Why the delay on this vital issue?

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[Janet Daby]

I thank my hon. Friend for her thoughtful question on the prefabs. We have a plan to build, and I will take up this matter further with the appropriate Minister.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Neil O’Brien (Harborough, Oadby and Wigston) (Con)]

Before the election, Labour said that it would allow employers to take 50% of their apprenticeship levy money and spend it on other things, but since the a while election, different Ministers have said different things about whether that is still happening. The Skills Minister said it would all depend on the spending review, but of course, the spending review was back. Will businesses be able to take out 50% as Labour promised or not?

[Neil O’Brien]

Yes or no?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The Minister will answer the question as she sees fit. The hon. Member may be frustrated, but we will carry on.

[Catherine Atkinson (Derby North) (Lab)]

6. What steps she is taking to help improve the condition of the further education college estate.

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[Stephen Morgan]

It was a pleasure to visit my hon. Friend’s constituency recently, too. He is a real champion for children and young people. We will fund Best Start family hubs in every local authority, including in Derbyshire. We estimate that the expansion could reach half a million children across the country. Best Start family hubs will be open to all and based in disadvantaged communities, where they are needed most.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

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[Bridget Phillipson]

I can be clear that children with SEND have a legal right to additional support, and Labour will always protect that. I would say, however, that we all have a responsibility in how we approach the issue—a responsibility not to cause undue alarm among parents who are experiencing a system that is not working and that is too adversarial. I believe that a better system will be delivered. We can make sure that children get early, timely support that is much more effective and focused on their outcomes. The plans that we will set out later this year will be shaped by all the conversations with the parents who she describes—conversations that I, too, have had—and with experts, school leaders and campaigners to make sure that we get them right.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Neil O’Brien (Harborough, Oadby and Wigston) (Con)]

Parents are getting in touch with MPs across the country to ask whether existing special needs support will continue under the planned reforms. The Minister for School Standards has said that the Government will not remove “effective support”, but what does that word “effective” mean? Who will judge what is effective, and on what basis? Why will the Government not just guarantee that all children will keep the support that they currently have?

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[Caroline Voaden]

Last Thursday, I felt the fear in a hall full of parents of primary school children in Totnes as they listened to campaigners going through the evidence of the impact of smartphones on kids at secondary school. There is a clear safeguarding issue around kids seeing videos of hardcore pornography and violence.

I am therefore pleased that Tina Graham, the head of Kingsbridge community college, has just announced a smartphone-free policy from September to protect children, which will mean no phones in school at all except for reasonable adjustments. That is a much better policy than the “Not seen—put it in your bag” policy that most schools follow. In the light of such safeguarding concerns, where every child is only as safe as the least safe phone in school, why will the Minister not do the one thing that could transform our children’s mental and physical health, and school attainment and direct all schools to go smartphone free—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Please, this is not fair; I have to get others in. I call the Minister.

[Stephen Morgan]

The hon. Lady’s question demonstrates that mobile phones have no place in schools, and there is already guidance to reflect that. The mobile phones in schools guidance is clear and schools should prohibit the use of devices with smart technology throughout the school day, including during lessons, transitions and breaks. We expect all schools to take steps in line with that guidance to ensure that mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning. If pupils fail to follow those rules, schools should have the power to confiscate devices.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Secretary of State.

[Laura Trott (Sevenoaks) (Con)]

In the other place, Baroness Smith of Malvern, a Minister in the Department for Education, said:

“There is no clear scientific consensus on a negative impact from screen time and social media use on the mental health and neurological or functional development of children and young people.”—[Official Report, House of Lords, 23 June 2025; Vol. 847, c. 55.]

I fundamentally disagree. There is overwhelming and extensive evidence of the harm caused, so I want to know the Government’s position. Does the Minister agree with his ministerial colleague or with me on this issue?

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[Andy MacNae]

In Rossendale, the academy trust that runs our “stuck” school, Valley leadership academy, recently announced plans to introduce a virtual teacher for top-set maths. This approach has understandably raised a lot of concerns, and I have been working with the trust to make sure it is designed in the pupils’ best interests. I have been assured that this will be a temporary measure, that a qualified maths teacher will be in the room to provide additional support, and that an appropriate range of adjustments will be made for SEND pupils. However, I remain concerned that, without safeguards, virtual teachers may become a default cost-saving measure to address recruitment challenges. Will the Minister share her view on how we can ensure that such an approach is always designed in pupils’ best interests—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Come on, Andy. I call the Minister.

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[The Minister for School Standards (Catherine McKinnell)]

My hon. Friend clearly knows that the decision to create any new GCSE is made by an independent awarding organisation, but I have also met the Ukrainian Education Minister, and I know how important this issue is to Ukrainian families living in the United Kingdom and to others. The Secretary of State has written to the awarding organisations to encourage them to create a Ukrainian GCSE. I am now well aware of my hon. Friend’s interest in the issue, and I am more than happy to convey it as well.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Secretary of State.

[Laura Trott (Sevenoaks) (Con)]

I completely support the Secretary of State’s opening words, and my thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the devastating incident.

Government documents state that the first step in achieving their primary school readiness mission is meeting their target of recruiting 6,500 teachers. The Secretary of State claimed at the last oral questions that she has always been clear that the 6,500 teachers are in secondary schools. If that is true, can she explain how secondary school teacher recruitment contributes to improving primary school readiness for four-year-olds?

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[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Please, we have to try to get in as many Members as possible. I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

[Munira Wilson (Twickenham) (LD)]

I echo the Secretary of State’s remarks about the tragedy in Minehead. My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.

Every parent who puts a baby into childcare wants to know that they are safe. In the light of the crucial role that CCTV played in the harrowing case at Twickenham Green nursery in my constituency, which resulted in a nursery worker being convicted of 21 counts of child cruelty last month, and in the tragic case of Gigi Meehan in Cheadle, will the Secretary of State commit to issuing fresh guidance to nurseries on the use and regular monitoring of CCTV footage?