Oral Answers to Questions

Matt Rodda Excerpts

Monday 9th December 2024 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

I do accept that academics should be free to express a wide range of views, and there will be views that people sometimes find challenging, but it also matters that we have legislation that is workable. I am afraid that the legislation the right hon. Lady’s party set out just did not achieve that, and we have had to consider so many challenges raised by minority groups. The former Universities Minister herself said that she was concerned about what it would mean for Holocaust denial on campus. We need to get this right.

[Matt Rodda (Reading Central) (Lab)]

T4. For 14 years, Governments have criticised teachers, and this has had a dreadful effect on recruitment and retention. Will the Minister please update the House on the measures she is taking to tackle this serious problem?

[The Minister for School Standards (Catherine McKinnell)]

May I, too, take this opportunity to wish a merry Christmas to all of our teachers and school support staff when they finally get to the Christmas break?

We are working at pace to recruit 6,500 new teachers. We have fully funded the 5.5% pay award, we have removed reductive headline Ofsted judgments, and we are working to reduce workloads and ensure more flexibility. We have announced a £233 million package of recruitment incentives, and we are very committed to supporting our teaching workforce.