📚 Oral Answers to Questions

Commons Chamber

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In a heated parliamentary session, MPs debated critical issues in education, focusing on free school meals, the funding of sixth-form colleges, and the need for more inclusive SEND provision. The Education Secretary committed to reviewing policies but faced criticism for not doing enough to address immediate crises such as school safety and SEND assessment delays. A significant highlight was the announcement that the Holocaust will be compulsory in schools, reflecting on the importance of education in combating rising antisemitism. The session underscored the government’s pledge to reform education but also revealed deep concerns about the current state of various educational services.

Summary

  • Free School Meals:
    • Ian Byrne asked about the potential benefits of universal free school meals for all primary school pupils. Stephen Morgan highlighted that the government spends £1.5 billion annually on free school meals for over 3 million pupils and has committed to introducing free breakfast clubs in primary schools.
    • Ian Byrne proposed Knowsley as a test area for universal free school meals, citing its high obesity rates linked to poverty. Stephen Morgan agreed to meet with him to discuss this further.
    • Damian Hinds mentioned that eligibility for free school meals has increased, and Stephen Morgan confirmed the government would continue to review the eligibility criteria.
    • Munira Wilson suggested automatically enrolling eligible children to ensure they receive free school meals, to which Stephen Morgan responded that the approach would be kept under review.
  • Sixth-form Colleges Pay Award:
    • Sarah Owen asked about funding for a 5.5% pay award for sixth-form college teaching staff. Janet Daby stated that while the government does not set pay in further education, £300 million was reallocated for further education, including £50 million for this academic year.
    • Neil O’Brien noted that while funding was provided for schools and academised sixth-form colleges, it was insufficient for stand-alone sixth-form colleges, leading to industrial action. Janet Daby encouraged constructive dialogue between sixth-form colleges and staff.
  • Reading in Schools:
    • Paul Davies questioned steps to encourage reading in schools. Bridget Phillipson highlighted a partnership between UK and Ukrainian schools, supported by children’s authors, and pledged to drive high standards to ensure all children enjoy reading.
    • Davies also pointed out the lack of libraries in primary schools, especially in disadvantaged areas. Phillipson acknowledged the issue and emphasized the importance of reading for pleasure.
    • Laura Trott suggested banning smartphones in classrooms to improve educational outcomes, particularly reading. However, Phillipson believed existing school guidance was sufficient and did not support making it statutory.
  • Artificial Intelligence Research and Development:
    • Christine Jardine asked about support for AI research and development in higher education. Bridget Phillipson confirmed the government is actively involved in an AI working group and is developing a 10-year plan for AI.
  • Clinical Academics:
    • Peter Prinsley raised concerns about the decline in clinical academics due to funding issues. Janet Daby acknowledged the issue but noted universities are autonomous in their staffing decisions.
  • Family Hubs in Kent:
    • Mike Tapp addressed the closure of Blossom children’s centre in Deal. Janet Daby outlined investments in family hubs and encouraged Tapp to write with specific issues for further action.
  • SEND Provision:
    • Several MPs questioned the support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Catherine McKinnell discussed the government’s commitment to improving SEND services, including a £1 billion investment, despite inheriting a challenging system.
    • The focus is on improving the Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) process, increasing inclusivity in mainstream schools, and providing more specialist places.
  • Child Safeguarding:
    • Luke Akehurst asked about strengthening child safeguarding. Bridget Phillipson highlighted the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill as a significant step to protect children, criticizing the opposition’s stance.
  • Free Speech:
    • Lee Anderson questioned support for free speech in educational settings. Bridget Phillipson affirmed the commitment to the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act and emphasized the importance of politically neutral teaching.
  • Apprenticeships:
    • Laura Kyrke-Smith and Ian Roome asked about increasing the number of apprenticeships. Janet Daby spoke about introducing foundation apprenticeships and rebalancing opportunities in favor of young people.
  • Specialist Teachers for Disabled Children:
    • Marsha De Cordova asked about ensuring access to specialist teachers for disabled children. Catherine McKinnell highlighted reforms in teacher training to improve skills in supporting SEND pupils.
  • National Insurance Contributions Impact on Early Years:
    • Richard Holden raised concerns about the impact of the National Insurance Contributions Bill on early years providers. Stephen Morgan acknowledged the budget challenges but emphasized support for the sector.
  • Early Learning Goals:
    • Josh Simons questioned increasing the number of children achieving early learning goals. Bridget Phillipson outlined the plan for change, including opening new nurseries and providing childcare support.
  • Topical Issues:
    • Bridget Phillipson commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day and reinforced the commitment to teaching about the Holocaust in schools.
    • Mike Tapp promoted a local reading initiative and invited the Education Secretary to participate.
    • Munira Wilson raised concerns about school maintenance backlogs and safety issues, to which Phillipson responded by attributing these issues to the previous government.
    • Several MPs asked about various local issues, with ministers agreeing to further meetings to discuss specific concerns, particularly related to SEND provision and educational facilities.

Divisiveness

The parliamentary session on education displays a moderate level of disagreement, warranting a rating of 3 out of 5. This session includes a range of topics where disagreements are evident between different political parties and within the same party over policies and their implementation. Below are examples and explanations supporting this rating:

  1. Free School Meals Policy:
    • Ian Byrne (Liverpool West Derby) (Ind) advocates for universal free school meals, citing potential benefits for reducing obesity in deprived areas. This displays a disagreement with Stephen Morgan (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education) who, while acknowledging the importance and existing expenditure on free school meals, does not commit to extending the program as suggested but agrees to discuss further.
    • Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con) questions the Minister on maintaining existing eligibility levels, showing a subtle disagreement or concern over potential changes to the policy.
    • Munira Wilson (Twickenham) (LD) pushes for automatic enrollment for eligible children, which subtly opposes the current system and represents disagreement with the government’s policy.
  2. Sixth-Form College Funding and Pay:
    • Sarah Owen (Luton North) (Lab) seeks additional funding to support a pay award for teaching staff, which reflects discontent with the current funding model.
    • Neil O’Brien (Harborough, Oadby and Wigston) (Con) challenges the perceived inequity in funding, mentioning industrial actions and judicial reviews, indicating significant disagreement over the handling of the pay award disputes.
  3. Smartphones in Classrooms:
    • A direct disagreement between Laura Trott (Sevenoaks) (Con) and Bridget Phillipson (Secretary of State for Education) (Lab) is evident over the legislative action needed for banning smartphones. Phillipson dismisses the proposal as a ‘headline-grabbing gimmick,’ showing clear opposition to the Conservative stance.
  4. Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023:
    • Lee Anderson (Ashfield) (Reform) pushes for teachers to remain politically neutral in the classroom, which implies dissatisfaction with existing practices and differences with the government’s approach to free speech in educational settings.
  5. Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill:
    • There is considerable disagreement over the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, particularly regarding the academies proposals. Laura Trott (Sevenoaks) (Con) and Nick Timothy (West Suffolk) (Con) express strong opposition, even citing external criticisms, while the Secretary of State defends the policy with a focus on improving standards. This illustrates a significant policy clash.
  6. Child Safeguarding Measures:
    • Luke Akehurst (North Durham) (Lab) criticizes the Opposition for dismissing new safeguarding measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill as a distraction, highlighting disagreement over the importance and approach to such policies.

While there is evident disagreement, the session also shows instances of cooperation and willingness to engage in further discussions on multiple topics (e.g., free school meals, SEND provisions). This suggests a balanced approach to disagreement, where policy differences and critiques are present but not overwhelmingly hostile or obstructive. Thus, the session’s disagreement level merits a mid-tier rating of 3.