Schools: Free Sanitary Products

Lord Watts Excerpts
Tuesday 21st May 2019

(4 years, 11 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait Baroness Williams of Trafford
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I totally agree. Puberty brings with it all sorts of embarrassments and sensitivities. This scheme is an excellent way to avoid any of that. It does not matter where you come from or what your parents’ income is: you will have access to the products you need so that your education will not be held back.

Lord Watts Portrait Lord Watts (Lab)
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My Lords, is it not a disgrace that many families now cannot afford to buy these products?

Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait Baroness Williams of Trafford
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It is awful if a family cannot afford to buy these products. In relation to the previous question, asked by the noble Baroness, Lady McIntosh, there are all sorts of issues around puberty and access to products. This scheme cuts across all those issues. Nobody has to be embarrassed because their parents cannot afford to pay—or, indeed, be too embarrassed to ask their parents to buy the products in the first place.