Free School Meals

Debate between Nusrat Ghani and Pam Cox

Thursday 5th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Pam Cox (Colchester) (Lab)]

In Colchester, this measure will benefit over 5,000 children, so it is wonderful news from a Government who are indeed determined to tackle child poverty. Would the Minister like to make a return visit to Colchester, this time to visit not a pioneering pre-school but a pioneering primary school—Unity primary academy in Greenstead—which has just opened a community kitchen that creates an amazing food culture for local families?

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

As the Minister is on a tour, I assume that he will be coming to Sussex Weald shortly.

Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (Transfer of Functions etc) Bill [Lords]

Debate between Nusrat Ghani and Pam Cox

Report stage
Monday 31st March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Pam Cox (Colchester) (Lab)]

Sorry, Madam Deputy Speaker; I was rather blown away by that. My birthday was actually on Saturday, but thank you so much.

It is a pleasure to speak in favour of this Bill, as a member of the Public Bill Committee and of the all-party parliamentary group on apprenticeships. The Bill is vital because it paves the way for the creation of Skills England, a new and ambitious body that will bring a fresh urgency to the task of upskilling our young people—and there is an urgency about this.

As the hon. Member for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire (Ian Sollom) said, Skills England will build on the extremely valuable work of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, and I would like to pay tribute—

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

Order. Could you be seated for a moment? We are talking about the amendments to the Bill, not the overall Bill. The idea is to discuss the amendments and whether you disagree with them, but you need to bring your contribution in line with the debate this evening.

[Pam Cox]

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The issue is whether we should delay the introduction of this measure to allow more time to set up Skills England. A lot of preparatory work has already been done to set up Skills England, as we discussed quite fully in Committee, and we should get going on training up the carpenters, plumbers, electricians and other apprentices that we all know we need.

--- Later in debate ---

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Ms Nusrat Ghani)]

Order. Is the hon. Lady taking an intervention?

[Pam Cox]

I am sitting down.

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

Has the hon. Lady concluded her speech or is she taking an intervention?

[Pam Cox]

I have concluded.