Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nadhim Zahawi and Henry Smith

Monday 1st November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Nadhim Zahawi)]

The Chancellor’s announcement last week in respect of my Department’s spending plans was about skills, schools and families. For schools, that means a cash increase of £1,500 per pupil by 2024-25, compared with 2019, as well as almost £2 billion further to catch up on lost learning. For skills, it means £3.8 billion of investment over this Parliament to ensure that people can access high-quality training and education, thereby opening the door to good jobs and driving forward our plan for growth. For families, it means support for the most disadvantaged, boosting childcare and ensuring that no one is left behind.

[Henry Smith]

I warmly welcome the £1 billion-worth of recovery funding that was announced in the spending review to help children catch up after the disruption caused by covid. Will my right hon. Friend say a little more about how that funding will be deployed to help disabled children access services that have been impacted by the pandemic?

[Nadhim Zahawi]

The new recovery funding will help schools deliver evidence-based approaches to support the most disadvantaged pupils, including eligible pupils with special educational needs and disabilities or education, health and care plans. That funding is on top of this year’s £8.9 billion of high-needs funding for children with more complex needs, and there is £42 million for projects that support children and young people with SEND.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nadhim Zahawi and Henry Smith

Monday 29th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Nadhim Zahawi]

We know that moving into temporary accommodation can mean changing schools, which is strongly associated with poorer attainment. We provide schools with extra resources to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their home circumstances, can go as far as their talent and hard work take them, but I will look at the case the hon. Lady mentions.

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

I congratulate the Secretary of State on his position, and I do not apportion blame for the problems at Broadfield House in my constituency, which has had school failure after school failure, but can I ask for a meeting to ensure that this facility is back in educational use for the local community as soon as possible?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nadhim Zahawi and Henry Smith

Tuesday 24th January 2012 Commons Chamber

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

14. What steps he is taking to tackle excessive executive pay.

[Nadhim Zahawi (Stratford-on-Avon) (Con)]

17. What steps he is taking to tackle excessive executive pay.

St George’s Day and St David’s Day Bill

Debate between Nadhim Zahawi and Henry Smith

Friday 13th May 2011 Commons Chamber

[Nadhim Zahawi]

I hear what my hon. Friend says, but it is important to have a bank holiday, because what a bank holiday would do to the nation’s psyche is to deliver a permanent reminder of St George’s day, rather than people casually saying, “Well, if it falls on the weekend, it’s fine.” Otherwise we cannot do the thing that we most want to do, which is to recognise it permanently and specifically.

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

I saw an example just last month—as my hon. Friend says, St George’s day coincided with a bank holiday this year—in my constituency, where the scouts and guides paraded to Queens square in the centre of the town and sonnets were read to celebrate the bard’s birthday on St George’s day. There was an extra sense of community spirit in celebrating St George, precisely because of the coincidence with the bank holiday. Certainly, enshrining such a bank holiday in law would aid that sense of community in both England and Wales.

[Nadhim Zahawi]

I thank my hon. Friend. He is exactly right; that is why I believe that the Bill should have a Second Reading.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Nadhim Zahawi and Henry Smith

Thursday 10th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

12. What steps he is taking to mitigate the effects of high oil prices on energy consumers.

[Nadhim Zahawi (Stratford-on-Avon) (Con)]

13. What steps he is taking to mitigate the effects of high oil prices on energy consumers.