Business of the House

Maureen Burke Excerpts

Thursday 2nd July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Campbell]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this matter. Scotland has so many brilliant places to visit, and he is right to promote his city of Dunfermline. We are committed to backing Britain’s tourism industry, which supports over 1.3 million jobs and £64.3 billion in gross value added to the economy. I recommend that he applies for what would be a very popular Westminster Hall debate.

[Maureen Burke (Glasgow North East) (Lab)]

Around 59% of children in the most deprived areas reach a good level of development by the time they start primary school compared with 79% in the least deprived areas. Babyzone is a charity set up to level the playing field by providing free-to-access community hubs that offer services to support children’s development. I recently had the privilege of opening Babyzone’s first Scottish hub in Easterhouse, which I know will make a real difference to local families. Will the Leader of the House join me in recognising Babyzone’s work, and will he consider allocating parliamentary time to debate how we can close the development gap between affluent and poorer neighbourhoods so that every child gets a fair start in life?

[Sir Alan Campbell]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right to praise charities such as Babyzone, which deliver a truly positive impact on local communities. Improving outcomes for pupils in deprived areas is an essential part of this Government’s wider mission to ensure that every child, whatever their background, can succeed. I certainly encourage her to apply for a debate on these matters so that Ministers can not just praise the success of organisations such as Babyzone, but outline plans about what further measures we intend to take.