Covid-19: Schools

Lord Ashton of Hyde Excerpts

Wednesday 3rd June 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Berridge]

My Lords, I did not catch all the detail of that question, but I believe the noble Lord was asking what support we can give schools during the summer. We are specifically looking to see what interventions we can make, including interventions particularly targeted at disadvantaged young people, and I can assure him that this is a focus; the attainment gap is so important for those young people. I am pleased to tell him that holiday clubs, which are so vital to disadvantaged young people because they also provide food during the school holidays, will take place this summer and a further £9 million of funding has been given to that initiative. I apologise if I missed some of the detail of that question.

[Lord Ashton of Hyde (Con)]

My Lords, the time allowed for this Question has elapsed. I want to pass on a message that I have received from the Lord Speaker, who experienced a power cut on the Isle of Wight, meaning that his internet connection has gone down. He sends his apologies to the House for missing half of Question Time. That concludes the Virtual Proceedings on Oral Questions. Virtual Proceedings will resume at 12 noon for the Private Notice Question on the victims payments scheme in Northern Ireland.