Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Rutland Excerpts

Monday 1st December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Bridget Phillipson]

We are investing the international student levy into support around skills and access to high-quality further and higher education colleges targeted at students who most need that support in subjects most closely aligned to our industrial strategy and Government priorities. That will make a huge difference to young people from not very well-off backgrounds, allowing them to access university. We are backing our universities with the measures that we have set out on tuition fee increases, which will give our institutions stability.

[Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Lab)]

T7. Under the Conservatives, too many children’s life chances were scarred by poverty, but thanks to the choices made by this Labour Government last week, nearly 1,300 children in East Worthing and Shoreham are set to have their futures brightened. Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is only under a Labour Government that all children will get the best start in life?

[Bridget Phillipson]

The Conservatives might not be serious about tackling child poverty, but the Labour party is and always has been. This Government will lift 450,000 children out of poverty, alongside other measures such as Best Start family hubs, expanding childcare and new free breakfast clubs—[Interruption.]

Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Rutland Excerpts

Monday 9th December 2024 Commons Chamber

[Catherine McKinnell]

The hon. Lady raises an important point. We are working at pace to ensure that we have more professionals, along with the Department of Health and Social Care, which is also ensuring that we have the right workforce to support all children with special educational needs. I will write to the hon. Lady with specific details of the steps being taken.

[Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Lab)]

T9. After years of failure by West Sussex county council to plan properly for secondary school places, parents in Shoreham face another year of waiting to find out if their children will have to travel a long distance for their education. Will the Minister meet me to discuss their concerns?

[Catherine McKinnell]

Local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure that there are sufficient secondary school places and that children can go to school, and travel should not be a barrier to their getting to school. I know how important this issue is for parents, and I would be happy to arrange a meeting for my hon. Friend to discuss it further.

Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Rutland Excerpts

Monday 4th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Morgan]

I met Helen Blythe last week, and I will happily meet the hon. Member to take forward her concerns.

[Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham) (Lab)]

I thank the Minister for working with Treasury colleagues to secure important additional funding to rebuild schools in last week’s Budget. Will he meet me to discuss the serious repair issues facing St Nicolas and St Mary primary school in my constituency, which are hampering children’s ability to thrive?

[Stephen Morgan]

We are proud of the investment that we are making in school buildings. I would be delighted not only to meet my hon. Friend but to visit his constituency.