Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Richard Quigley and Bridget Phillipson

Wednesday 11th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

I welcome the hon. Lady’s interest in this issue. Good progress has been made on developing the policy, and we will publish the Government’s response as soon as we can, as well as setting out next steps in respect of legislation that we will present. This was a key manifesto commitment, and we will deliver on it.

[Richard Quigley (Isle of Wight West) (Lab)]

T3. The wage gap between the Isle of Wight and the rest of the UK—[Interruption.] I know that Conservative Members love the Isle of Wight, but they did nothing about it when they were in power. The wage gap between the Isle of Wight and the rest of the UK leaves full-time island employees about £5,500 a year worse off in comparison with the national average, while female islanders are about £8,000 worse off. Will the Minister work with Cabinet colleagues as a matter of urgency to address the island wage gap, particularly for women, and does she agree that closing that gap is good for women, good for communities and good for growth?

Breakfast Clubs: Early Adopters

Debate between Richard Quigley and Bridget Phillipson

Monday 24th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his work in his community to support families. He is right to suggest that all parents experience challenges at different points. Being a parent is a wonderful job, but it can also be a very challenging job at times, and the Government are determined to make sure that support is always available to families. We want to ensure that as we roll out this programme across the country as quickly as we can, we learn the lessons about what works in different parts of our country. I give my hon. Friend my commitment that the action that we are taking as a Government will benefit families right across his constituency. We are taking action on school uniform costs, rolling out childcare and early years entitlements, and making sure that children have more early and timely access to support in areas like SEND.

[Mr Richard Quigley (Isle of Wight West) (Lab)]

Does my right hon. Friend think that a breakfast club might have helped the attendance on the Opposition Benches and, indeed, the Conservatives’ grasp of basic maths? Does my right hon. Friend agree that Barton primary school in my constituency of Isle of Wight West has taken an important step forward in improving the outcomes for all its pupils, and that this is one of the many important first steps that she is taking to fix an education system that has been ruined by the previous Government?

[Bridget Phillipson]

Attendance has been a bit slim on the Opposition Benches this afternoon. In my response to the shadow Minister, I said that one would think that Members from across the House would welcome the difference that breakfast clubs will make to communities the length and breadth of our country, because they have been selected in a range of different constituencies to ensure that we learn from what is effective and what works. I am delighted that my hon. Friend’s constituency will be part of this scheme. The work that school leaders, teachers and staff will carry out in this important endeavour will allow us to roll out breakfast clubs, making a real difference to children across our country.