Oral Answers to Questions

Sureena Brackenridge Excerpts

Tuesday 9th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Rachel Reeves]

Employment is up since we took office, and part of the reason for the disparity between those numbers is the fact that people who were economically inactive are now seeking work. That is exactly what we want, for people to be seeking work and to get back into work, but there are more jobs in the economy today than when we took office.

[Mrs Sureena Brackenridge (Wolverhampton North East) (Lab)]

T8. As a former deputy headteacher, I and other school leaders knew of the pressures faced when having to turn libraries into classrooms due to underfunding by the Tories, which disproportionately affected children in our deprived areas. Does the Chancellor agree that her £5 million commitment for libraries and books for secondary schools is an example of how increasing opportunity for all children is good for our future economy?

[Rachel Reeves]

My hon. Friend will know that when I was at secondary school, my school library was turned into a classroom because there were more students than there was space. We have put £10 million into primary schools to get a library in every single primary school in this Parliament, and next year, to celebrate the national year of reading, we are putting £5 million into having more books at secondary schools, and I am really proud to be doing that.