Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Olivia Bailey and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 10th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Olivia Bailey]

Young people with gender incongruence need access to high-quality, safe and effective care. We are following the Cass review, which was clear that the evidence on the care for these children is lacking and proposed this research to help provide it. We are now setting up clinical trials, as recommended by Baroness Cass, to build the evidence base that we need to support vulnerable young people.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee.

[Sarah Owen (Luton North) (Lab)]

LGBT+ communities, and particularly trans people, have many reasons to be fearful at the moment. Even though the Government have committed to delivering a conversion therapy Bill, trust is at an all-time low. Is the Bill on target to come before the House in this Session? If so, will the Minister outline the details of pre-legislative scrutiny and what involvement there will be from the LGBT+ community?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Olivia Bailey and Lindsay Hoyle

Monday 1st December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Olivia Bailey]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question and for his interest in this important issue, and I recognise the statistics to which he refers. The Government take the issue extremely seriously and we will be setting out our plans in the White Paper in due course. We are investing in the early years, which is my own area, and ensuring that we have the Best Start in Life family hubs in our communities and SEND-trained professionals, so that we can identify special educational needs early and give children the support that they need before problems escalate.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Saqib Bhatti (Meriden and Solihull East) (Con)]

The Minister will be aware of the horrific case of Harvey Willgoose, who was stabbed to death by a fellow pupil who had previously brought an axe into school. Parents are rightly worried about such situations, so does the Minister agree that safety must come first and that any child who brings a knife into school must be expelled, regardless of their background—no ifs, no buts?

[Olivia Bailey]

The case that the hon. Member raises is absolutely horrific. If a child has brought a knife into school, I do not think that there is a headteacher anywhere in the country who would think that that child should continue to be in school.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Olivia Bailey and Lindsay Hoyle

Wednesday 5th November 2025 Commons Chamber

[Olivia Bailey]

I thank my hon. Friend for her great campaigning work. I agree with her that we must do absolutely everything possible to break down all barriers to opportunity in our country.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Claire Coutinho (East Surrey) (Con)]

Labour’s previous definition of “Islamophobia” was adopted by councils that had grooming gang scandals, and it said that even talking about grooming gangs was an example of “anti-Muslim racism”. We know from Louise Casey that public servants did not speak up because they were scared of being called racist. The Government are now bringing in a new definition, but they are refusing to tell the public what is in it. Will the Minister commit to publishing the draft definition, before it is adopted, for full public scrutiny?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Olivia Bailey and Lindsay Hoyle

Monday 20th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Welcome, Minister.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Olivia Bailey)]

As it is my first time at the Dispatch Box, I want to thank my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth South (Stephen Morgan), and say what an honour it is to build on his work to give every child the best start in life.

This Government have delivered a record expansion of childcare, saving working parents £7,500 a year, and we are working with our fantastic private, voluntary, and independent sector and new school-based nurseries to ensure that this expanded provision reaches every eligible family.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Olivia Bailey and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 17th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We are going to have to get through the questions more quickly. We do not have much time.

[Olivia Bailey (Reading West and Mid Berkshire) (Lab)]

T4.   I recently visited the fantastic Shinfield Studios in the constituency of my hon. Friend the Member for Earley and Woodley (Yuan Yang) and saw the huge value that our creative industries can bring to my constituents. Will the Minister please tell me what the inclusion of the creative industries in the industrial strategy and the huge investment delivered at the investment summit last week will deliver for my constituency and others like it?