Education Bill

Debate between Tim Loughton and Glenda Jackson

Tuesday 8th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Glenda Jackson]

No.

The Secretary of State also asserted that the Government are committed to ensuring that every child in this country has the best possible education. How can that conceivably be so when we are looking at a situation in which academies and free schools will be the only schools available to local people? We have no idea what the capital costs or revenue costs of those schools will be. The idea that we are making a real inroad into affording opportunity and aspiration for every child, however disadvantaged their background, by introducing free education for two-year-olds, when we know that Sure Start facilities are being closed even as we speak—

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Tim Loughton)]

No they’re not.

[Glenda Jackson]

Oh yes they are. Children’s centres are being closed—