House of Commons

Monday 21st July 2025 Commons Chamber

Monday 21 July 2025

The House met at half-past Two o’clock

Prayers

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Royal Assent

[Mr Speaker]

I have to notify the House that, in accordance with the Royal Assent Act 1967, the King has signified his Royal Assent to the following Acts:

Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2025

Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025

Football Governance Act 2025

Norwich Livestock Market Act 2025.

Oral Answers to Questions

Monday 21st July 2025 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Lee Barron (Corby and East Northamptonshire) (Lab)]

1. What assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing alternative methods of primary school assessment.

[The Minister for School Standards (Catherine McKinnell)]

Mr Speaker, may I take this opportunity to thank all those who work in our schools and wish them a well-earned break over the summer holidays? High and rising school standards are a non-negotiable for this Labour Government as we seek to build a school system that enables every child to achieve and thrive. Our independent expert-led curriculum and assessment review has found that the current system for primary assessments is broadly working well. However, we will take on board any recommendations from the review panel when it reports in the autumn.

[Lee Barron (Corby and East Northamptonshire) (Lab)]

A recent survey by Young Minds found that over a third of year 6 pupils felt ill due to standard assessment tests, and over a quarter said they made them feel bad about themselves. Ninety-six per cent of headteachers say that SATs harm wellbeing, and 95% doubt their accuracy. Our children and teachers are telling us that SATs are broken. Will the Department consider a more holistic assessment approach that ensures the wellbeing of our children at such a young age?

[Catherine McKinnell]

It is our ambition that all children get the chance not just to achieve at school but to thrive. SATs are carefully developed to ensure that they are accessible. It is clear that schools should not over-prepare children for the assessments at the expense of their wellbeing.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

It is so well known how damaging formal assessment can be for some children; their wellbeing should be at the forefront of our minds. I know that from primary school teachers in my Bath constituency. Is it not time that we completely scrapped SATs?

[Catherine McKinnell]

National curriculum tests and assessments are crucial to support schools in building strong foundations for children regardless of background and prior attainment. We will continue to keep the matter under review. Of course, children should not be made to feel stressed; they should be supported to achieve and thrive in any assessment at school.

[Bambos Charalambous (Southgate and Wood Green) (Lab)]

2. What steps she is taking to recruit teachers.

[Juliet Campbell (Broxtowe) (Lab)]

3. What steps she is taking to recruit new teachers.

[Tristan Osborne (Chatham and Aylesford) (Lab)]

10. What steps she is taking to recruit new teachers.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Bridget Phillipson)]

With the summer holidays just around the corner, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone working across education for all their hard work this year. Improving the quality of teaching is the best way to drive up school standards, supporting every child to achieve and thrive. Through our plan for change, we will recruit an additional 6,500 expert teachers in our schools and colleges. With an almost 10% pay award, we are making good progress, with over 2,000 more teachers in our secondary and special schools.

[Bambos Charalambous]

I congratulate the Secretary of State on the Department for Education being more than a third of the way through recruiting those 6,500 teachers. A recent Public Accounts Committee report showed that schools with a high proportion of disadvantaged pupils experienced the worst teacher shortages. Will the Secretary of State reassure me that extra effort will be put into recruiting and retaining teachers at all those schools?

[Bridget Phillipson]

I give my hon. Friend that assurance and thank him for all the work he does for schools right across his constituency. Recruiting and retaining more teachers—particularly in the most disadvantaged areas—is critical to our opportunity mission, but I am also delighted that initial teacher training acceptances are up 12% in secondary. That is positive progress being made, with a 16% increase in maths and a 46% increase in physics. That is the change that the Labour Government are delivering.

[Juliet Campbell]

I thank the Secretary of State for her response and for the Government’s commitment to recruiting 6,500 new teachers. However, as we know, dyslexic children tend to leave school or education with disproportionately lower attainment levels. They are also over-represented in the criminal justice system and often have low self-esteem, with much of that coming from their experience in educational settings. Will the Secretary of State outline how she will ensure that the recruitment of new teachers will bring in those who can meet the education needs of dyslexic and neurodiverse children?

[Bridget Phillipson]

I thank my hon. Friend for her question and for all her work to support neurodiverse students in Broxtowe and beyond. From September, thanks to this Labour Government’s reforms, all new teachers will receive three years of evidence-based training, including significantly enhanced content on supporting children with additional needs. We know there is much more we have to do so that all our students, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, are able to achieve and thrive, and I look forward to discussing that further with her very soon.

[Tristan Osborne]

As a former teacher, I know that new school buildings not only help student progress, but encourage teacher retention. Can the Minister confirm that new school buildings are indeed part of this Government’s programme for change, and will she commit to visiting Bradfields academy in my constituency, a specialist SEND school that is investing millions as part of the schools rebuilding programme?

[Bridget Phillipson]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend; I know he cares deeply about outcomes for children in Chatham and Aylesford, and that he brings real experience to this House. He is right to demonstrate the important role of the specialist sector. He mentions Bradfields academy, which has already secured a place on the schools rebuilding programme; with the approval of the trust, I would be delighted to arrange for me or one of my colleagues to visit and see the brilliant work they are doing.

[Esther McVey (Tatton) (Con)]

This Government are hampering schools’ recruitment of new teachers. First they hiked up the cost through the increase in employer national insurance contributions; then the money promised to state schools from charging VAT on private school fees was spent on housing instead. Can the Secretary of State tell the House how much the increase in employer national insurance contributions will cost schools in total over this Parliament?

[Bridget Phillipson]

We are investing record sums in our state schools. The Conservative party, however, wants to take money out of our state schools to give tax breaks back to private schools. That tells us everything we need to know about their priorities.

[Edward Morello (West Dorset) (LD)]

The headteacher of the Thomas Hardye school in West Dorset previously worked in a London school. He told me that in London he received nearly £10,000 per pupil, but in West Dorset nearly £5,000—yet the challenges of rural education are no less complex, not least in the recruitment of teachers. What steps is the Secretary of State taking to address the funding inequalities facing rural schools, to ensure that all pupils receive the teaching they deserve?

[Bridget Phillipson]

We continue to keep all these areas under review; if the hon. Gentleman would like to write to me with more information, I would be happy to respond with more detail. However, I am clear that this Government are investing more in education. We are turning around the year-on-year declines in teacher numbers with better pay, more support on workload and more money for our schools, including tackling child poverty. That is the difference that a Labour Government are making for our country.

[Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con)]

The Government have tried to have it every which way on these elusive 6,500 extra teachers. If the Labour manifesto had meant that only secondary teachers counted, but they could be in any subject, presumably that is what it would have said. What it actually said was 6,500 new specialist teachers in key subjects, so will the Secretary of State enlighten us: what are those subjects?

[Bridget Phillipson]

I would be very happy to do so. As the right hon. Gentleman just heard, we are seeing big increases in initial teacher training acceptances in many of those key subjects such as maths and science. On the commitment we have made, we had 60,000 fewer children in primary over the course of the last year and, as a former holder of this office, he would rightly expect that we target our efforts in areas of greatest need. Sadly, we are seeing a big decline in the number of children in primary, with the numbers forecast to fall by another 165,000 over the next few years, so we are focusing our efforts where they are needed.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Neil O’Brien (Harborough, Oadby and Wigston) (Con)]

The Secretary of State just said that the Government were turning around declines in teacher numbers. Under the last Government the number of teachers went up by 27,000; under this Government it is down by 400. That is the opposite of the truth.

One thing that drives people out of teaching is poor discipline, yet the Government have abolished behaviour hubs, despite the evidence that they were working. The Government said they would put in place new behaviour ambassadors, who were supposed to be in place on 4 July, but the contract has now lapsed and the position is vacant. Why the delay on this vital issue?

[Bridget Phillipson]

That was very shouty from the shadow Minister, and as per usual very negative about what we are seeing across education. We are turning around the problems that the Conservatives left behind on teacher recruitment and retention. We are increasing attendance in our schools and improving behaviour—a challenge that I completely agree schools need support to deal with—putting more money back into parents’ pockets and tackling child poverty. The Conservatives have only one policy, and that is to give a tax break to private schools.

[Liz Twist (Blaydon and Consett) (Lab)]

4. What steps she is taking to improve mental health support in schools.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Stephen Morgan)]

This Government are committed to improving mental health support for all children and young people. That is why we are providing access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding mental health support teams so that every child and young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate.

[Liz Twist]

I thank the Minister for his reply and for last week’s publication of the new relationships, sex and health education—RSHE—curriculum guidance. I was pleased to see that secondary schools are now being asked to talk about suicide prevention in an age-appropriate way. Andy, Mike and Tim, the 3 Dads Walking, have campaigned hard for this change over a number of years, and I am pleased that the Government have worked with them to make this happen. Will the Minister join me in thanking the three dads, and can he say how this will be implemented in schools so that we can help save young lives?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank my hon. Friend for the tireless work she has done on these important issues in this place. We are grateful for the contribution of 3 Dads Walking in developing the new RSHE guidance and we pay tribute to their inspirational determination and the courage shown in their work to raise awareness. The guidance contains new content about coping strategies for dealing with issues such as anxiety, but also covers issues such as loneliness and bereavement. It says that schools should “consider carefully” how to address suicide prevention safely.

[Graham Stuart (Beverley and Holderness) (Con)]

Great leadership is critical to supporting children to have a healthy mental condition. Will the Minister join me in congratulating Leon Myers, the headteacher of Swinemoor primary school, on the twice-repeated outstanding rating for that school, on his focus on the traditional values of endeavour, resilience and competitive spirit, and on his recent MBE in recognition of the transformation of opportunity he provides to children across the Swinemoor estate?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank the right hon. Member for his question, and I pay tribute to the member of staff he mentioned and all those who work across the education system to deliver improvements in life chances for all young people; I thank him very much for his hard work.

[Jess Asato (Lowestoft) (Lab)]

We know that timely access to mental health support is crucial. Earlier this month, the Education Committee released its report on children’s social care, which recommended that the Government establish mental health teams that are co-located between child and adolescent mental health services —CAMHS—and children’s social care, so that looked-after children can access specialist mental health support more easily. Will the Minister share any assessment that the Department has made of this recommendation?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank my hon. Friend for the hard work she has undertaken on the Select Committee. She will know that we will deliver on our commitment on mental health support teams in the course of the next few months and years. By 2026, we estimate that 60% of pupils in schools and learners will have access to national health service tests—NHSTs—and I will take her suggestion back to the Department.

[Alison Bennett (Mid Sussex) (LD)]

Good mental health at school is sometimes bolstered by out-of-school support, especially for the most vulnerable children. Last week, I met Vicky and her team at Jigsaw Occupational Therapy in Burgess Hill, and I spoke to the families they help. Roughly a quarter of their work involved supporting kinship and adopted children and helping them to regulate following profound trauma. Vicky described the impact on their children of the Government’s cuts to the adoption and special guardianship support fund as “heartbreaking”. Can the Minister offer any words of comfort to Vicky and the families she helps?

[Stephen Morgan]

We are maintaining the support available to children to ensure that there is reasonable support in place, and providing more funding to local authorities. This Government are committed to breaking down the barriers to opportunity so that every child can succeed and thrive, and that is what we are getting on and delivering.

[Robin Swann (South Antrim) (UUP)]

5. What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that post-16 education provides the skills necessary to support the economy.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Janet Daby)]

I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the great gains that the Labour Government have made through our plan for change. Since entering power, we have cut red tape, tilted the system towards young people and committed unprecedented investment for our school system. We are going further and faster with our post-16 education and skills strategy.

[Robin Swann]

The apprenticeship levy is collected equally across the United Kingdom, but unfortunately it comes back to Northern Ireland under the Barnett consequential. Will the Minister look at an option for a system in which those employers who contribute to the apprenticeship levy can draw it back directly to support apprentices employed in their companies?

[Janet Daby]

I thank the hon. Member for his question and his thoughtfulness regarding the levy and its operation. As he is fully aware, skills are a devolved matter and funding in the devolved Administration remains the responsibility of that Government. We will continue to engage with the devolved Administrations as we develop the levy-funded growth and skills offer for England.

[Natalie Fleet (Bolsover) (Lab)]

I was recently lucky enough to visit Brigg infant school in South Normanton. It is a gorgeous school full of talented pupils and dedicated staff, but it has a problem: four and five-year-olds are being taught in a prefab building that is not fit for purpose. I love to see the way that we invest in education, but these children have been let down by the previous Government. Does the Minister agree that they deserve a classroom that is fit to be taught in, and will she look at this case?

[Janet Daby]

I thank my hon. Friend for her thoughtful question on the prefabs. We have a plan to build, and I will take up this matter further with the appropriate Minister.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Neil O’Brien (Harborough, Oadby and Wigston) (Con)]

Before the election, Labour said that it would allow employers to take 50% of their apprenticeship levy money and spend it on other things, but since the a while election, different Ministers have said different things about whether that is still happening. The Skills Minister said it would all depend on the spending review, but of course, the spending review was back. Will businesses be able to take out 50% as Labour promised or not?

[Janet Daby]

I thank the hon. Member for his question. We are a Government who continue to invest in education. We have flexibility available, and we have foundation apprenticeships and shorter apprenticeships. We are absolutely investing in young people to get them into the right jobs.

[Neil O’Brien]

Yes or no?

[Mr Speaker]

Order. The Minister will answer the question as she sees fit. The hon. Member may be frustrated, but we will carry on.

[Catherine Atkinson (Derby North) (Lab)]

6. What steps she is taking to help improve the condition of the further education college estate.

[Steve Race (Exeter) (Lab)]

12. What steps she is taking to improve the quality of the further education estate.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Stephen Morgan)]

Excellent further education colleges are a key building block of the Government’s opportunity and growth missions. The Government are committed to improving the condition of schools and colleges in England and will invest nearly £3 billion per year by 2034-2035, rising from £2.4 billion in 2024-25.

[Catherine Atkinson]

The oldest surviving locomotive roundhouse in Britain is in Derby, and what was once at the forefront of Victorian engineering is now a cutting-edge learning environment for local young people who will build the homes of the future. But the site is full to bursting—Derby college needs more space. Does the Minister agree that if it became a construction technical excellence college, it could extend its site, increase its capacity in brickwork, carpentry and joinery by 50%, and teach more students the construction skills we desperately need?

[Stephen Morgan]

Applications to become construction technical excellence colleges closed on 4 July. We look forward to informing successful candidates in due course. In addition, £375 million of capital investment will be invested between 2026 and 2030 to support post-16 capacity to accommodate the additional learners entering the system.

[Steve Race]

I know that the Minister will agree with me that in Exeter we have two of the country’s most outstanding FE institutions. Exeter college is rated outstanding by Ofsted and as “strong” in its approach to meeting the skills needs of our area—the first time a college has achieved both. Exeter maths school is also rated outstanding and gives students from across the south-west the opportunity to specialise in maths, physics and computing. But as my hon. Friend the Member for Derby North (Catherine Atkinson) said, that success comes with its own challenges. Both are bursting at the seams and need capital investment to allow them to expand and continue their exceptional work. Does the Minister agree that Exeter college could also be an exceptional candidate to become a construction technical excellence college for the south-west, and will he meet me to discuss the ways in which we can support those changes?

[Stephen Morgan]

I join my hon. Friend in recognising the success of Exeter college and Exeter maths school, which are both outstanding. As he will know, the Government have announced capital funding to improve the condition of the estate and accommodate rising student numbers as we hope to replicate the success of these settings across the country.

[Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD)]

The sixth form of the Lakes school near Windermere provides further education for young people within the central lakes. The building is beyond being fit for purpose and needs a rebuild. It also happens to be built on the site where the Windermere children who survived the death camps in 1945 were brought to be rehabilitated on the shores of Windermere where they were first settled. On the 80th anniversary of their arrival, will the Minister agree to meet me and local people to look at a rebuild of the school and, at the same time, a memorial to the Windermere children, so that we can honour their memory and support the children of the future, too?

[Stephen Morgan]

Ensuring that schools and colleges have the resources and buildings that they need is key to our mission to break down barriers to opportunity and ensure that every child can succeed and thrive. As always, I am very happy to meet the hon. Gentleman.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the Minister very much for his answers, as always. The hon. Member for Derby North (Catherine Atkinson) referred to the construction sector. Is it time perhaps to think outside the circle of what we usually do, through deals and partnerships with construction companies? That would give us the opportunity to improve the education and college estate while making people available and knowledgeable for jobs in their future life, whether in construction or otherwise. It is time for partnerships—let us do something perhaps a wee bit different.

[Stephen Morgan]

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right: the construction sector is fundamental to the UK economy. That is why the Government’s industrial strategy includes a construction sector deal. We have committed £625 million to supporting construction skills training, and that funding includes capital investment through the establishment of technical excellence colleges and the creation of an employer match funding pot worth £80 million.

[James Asser (West Ham and Beckton) (Lab)]

7. What steps she is taking to increase the number of children meeting the early learning goals.

[John Whitby (Derbyshire Dales) (Lab)]

22. What steps her Department is taking to ensure more children receive support during their early years.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Stephen Morgan)]

Our landmark strategy on giving every child the best start in life sets out plans to deliver Best Start family hubs to make access to early education easier and more affordable, and to improve quality in settings and reception classes. The strategy is backed by £1.5 billion over the next three years, and Government spending on the funded hours will reach £9 billion next year and will continue to rise over the Parliament.

[James Asser]

I thank the Minister for joining me at Curwen primary school in Plaistow recently to see its excellent early years education work. He heard from parents about the struggles they often face as a result of serious economic and housing hardship. Will he assure my constituents that the Government will look at communities like mine, where housing and poverty create serious challenges for families, to ensure that all children, no matter their circumstances, get the best possible educational start in life?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank my hon. Friend for our excellent visit to Curwen primary school last week, where I saw excellent work on supporting children’s speech and language to deliver for some of our most vulnerable children and families. Our spending review commitments are a downpayment on the child poverty strategy to build on expanding free breakfast clubs and free school meals, boost the national minimum wage and cap universal credit deductions through the fair repayment rate.

[John Whitby (Derbyshire Dales) (Lab)]

Sure Start, which was created by the previous Labour Government, boosted attainment, improved health outcomes and increased long-term earnings. However, under the Conservatives, more than 30 children’s centres in Derbyshire were closed, and Derbyshire now does not have a single family hub. What action will the Government take to ensure that more young children in Derbyshire can once again access support during their early years?

[Stephen Morgan]

It was a pleasure to visit my hon. Friend’s constituency recently, too. He is a real champion for children and young people. We will fund Best Start family hubs in every local authority, including in Derbyshire. We estimate that the expansion could reach half a million children across the country. Best Start family hubs will be open to all and based in disadvantaged communities, where they are needed most.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

[Munira Wilson (Twickenham) (LD)]

May I join Ministers in thanking our school and college staff up and down the country for their dedication? I wish them happy and restorative summer holidays.

Children with special educational needs who started reception last year were over a year behind their peers, according to the Education Policy Institute. Staggeringly, those with an education, health and care plan were already over 20 months behind—the widest gap that the EPI has recorded since it started monitoring in 2013. Given the importance of the early years in narrowing the gap, it is crucial that we give every child the help that they need as soon as possible. Will the Minister confirm how much of the £760 million for SEND transformation announced in the spending review will go towards early identification and intervention?

[Stephen Morgan]

The Government are committed to ensuring excellence for everyone so that children have the support, skills and opportunities that they need, and that starts in early years. We are actively working with parents and experts on solutions, including more early intervention to prevent needs from escalating. Any changes we make will improve support for children and parents, stop parents having to fight for support, and protect current effective provision.

[Chris Webb (Blackpool South) (Lab)]

8. What steps her Department is taking to ensure adequate funding for SEND provision.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Bridget Phillipson)]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend that important question. Labour is providing £1 billion more for high-needs budgets, and also providing councils with £740 million of capital funding to improve support for children with SEND in specialist and mainstream schools. This investment will lay the foundation for the better system that children with SEND need. Working with experts, we will set out our plans in the schools White Paper in the autumn.

[Chris Webb]

The last Government left behind a SEND system that was failing children and families. Parents were made to fight for support, with education, health and care plans denied or delayed and vital services taken away. Tory cuts to early years support, rising poverty and extreme deprivation in Blackpool, as well as the pandemic hitting our children harder than most, have all combined to deepen the crisis facing our most vulnerable young people. What steps is the Education Secretary taking to ensure children in disadvantaged communities like mine, where the need is high and support often falls short, receive the targeted SEND support they urgently require?

[Bridget Phillipson]

My hon. Friend is a powerful champion for his constituents and for Blackpool, and he is right that far too many children are not currently getting the support they need in order to thrive. Early intervention is key—more support at the earliest possible point to identify where children might be struggling, and to make sure that they get the help they need. That is why I was very proud to announce to the House that, building on the proud Labour legacy of Sure Start, we will be rolling out Best Start family hubs to make sure that we have better family support services in every part of our country, including my hon. Friend’s community.

[Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con)]

The Secretary of State knows that out-of-county placements are very expensive and highly unsatisfactory both for pupils and for families. Will she therefore confirm that the excellent news that we had last year about a new SEND school being built at Bitham Park in Westbury will go ahead to the advantage of children and, importantly, their families, and can she assure me it is not going to be cancelled in the proposals she has alluded to?

[Bridget Phillipson]

I will happily write to the right hon. Gentleman in relation to his constituency case. We are looking carefully at all the proposals we inherited when we came in as a new Government, but the assurance I can give him is that through the spending review we secured additional investment not just for revenue funding but also for capital funding to make sure that we are creating the specialist places that are needed in both the mainstream and also the specialist sector, which has an enormous amount of expertise. Sadly, I have heard far too many cases of the kind that he describes, where children are being forced to travel considerable distances away from their local community and their friends because of an absence of specialist places. We are determined to improve that.

[Alex Baker (Aldershot) (Lab)]

Will the Secretary of State join me in congratulating the staff, pupils and governors at Henry Tyndale community school on the official opening today of their new park campus in Aldershot, a vital new facility for students aged four to 19 with complex learning difficulties? This outstanding school is named after Henry Tyndale, who gave two decades of tireless service as a volunteer, fundraiser and friend to children with the greatest difficulties, and whose legacy continues to shape the school’s inclusive spirit. What steps are the Government taking to support the creation of more schools like Henry Tyndale, so that children with SEND in my community and beyond have access to the high-quality, specialist environments they deserve?

[Bridget Phillipson]

My hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the amazing work in the specialist sector and the tremendous expertise, knowledge and passion that so many people bring to supporting children with some of the most complex needs. That is why how we can deliver better outcomes for children with SEND is at the forefront of all of our minds as we bring forward any reform to the system. That will be our guiding principle—it must be our guiding principle. So alongside better mainstream inclusion, we will of course make sure that there is the specialist provision necessary for the children who need it.

[Ellie Chowns (North Herefordshire) (Green)]

I have heard from and met with numerous constituents who are parents of children with special educational needs, all frustrated with the way that the system currently works. I welcome the Secretary of State saying she wants outcomes for children to be at the centre of reforms, but a parent of a child with an EHCP, which helps them to be in mainstream education, recently told me of the fear and horror she felt when she heard about potential Government reforms due to the risk of her son losing the ability to stay in a school that has, in her words, been an absolute godsend for him. Can the Secretary of State assure parents that her reforms will not take away support that children currently have and will ensure that every child has the support they need to genuinely thrive?

[Bridget Phillipson]

I can be clear that children with SEND have a legal right to additional support, and Labour will always protect that. I would say, however, that we all have a responsibility in how we approach the issue—a responsibility not to cause undue alarm among parents who are experiencing a system that is not working and that is too adversarial. I believe that a better system will be delivered. We can make sure that children get early, timely support that is much more effective and focused on their outcomes. The plans that we will set out later this year will be shaped by all the conversations with the parents who she describes—conversations that I, too, have had—and with experts, school leaders and campaigners to make sure that we get them right.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Minister.

[Neil O’Brien (Harborough, Oadby and Wigston) (Con)]

Parents are getting in touch with MPs across the country to ask whether existing special needs support will continue under the planned reforms. The Minister for School Standards has said that the Government will not remove “effective support”, but what does that word “effective” mean? Who will judge what is effective, and on what basis? Why will the Government not just guarantee that all children will keep the support that they currently have?

[Bridget Phillipson]

As I said in response to the hon. Member for North Herefordshire (Ellie Chowns), children with SEND have a legal right to additional support. We will not just protect it, but improve it. We will deliver better outcomes and support for children with SEND.

I do not know how the shadow Minister has the brass neck to stand there and ask that question, given that the Conservatives left behind a system that their last Education Secretary described as “lose, lose, lose”. It is for that reason that we deal with so many questions on this topic every time we gather for Education questions. What we have at the moment is not working by any objective measure: children are being failed and parents are being failed. It falls to the Labour Government to deliver the better system of support that all our children with SEND desperately need.

[Dr Neil Hudson (Epping Forest) (Con)]

9. What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the use of smartphones in schools on levels of disruption in classrooms.

[Caroline Voaden (South Devon) (LD)]

20. What steps she is taking to support schools that plan to ban smartphones.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Stephen Morgan)]

Mobile phones have no place in schools. Government guidance is clear that schools should prohibit the use of devices with smart technology throughout the school day. Research from the Children’s Commissioner shows that 99.8% of primary schools and 90% of secondary schools already have policies restricting the use of mobile phones.

[Dr Hudson]

Many of the young people I meet in schools across Epping Forest are clear that they agree with the local school policy of restricting mobile phones when they are at school. Sadly, however, the Government have repeatedly refused to heed Conservative calls to protect our children with a national ban on phones in schools—even voting against it. Bodies such as UNESCO and the OECD are crystal clear about the negative impacts of phones on young people’s education, so when will the Government listen to the evidence and to our school leaders, and support a ban on smartphones in schools for the sake of our young people’s education and mental health?

[Stephen Morgan]

I have said that phones should not be out in schools, and heads have the power to enforce that. The Opposition backed those measures. If they felt they needed to go further, they had 14 long years in which to do so.

[Caroline Voaden]

Last Thursday, I felt the fear in a hall full of parents of primary school children in Totnes as they listened to campaigners going through the evidence of the impact of smartphones on kids at secondary school. There is a clear safeguarding issue around kids seeing videos of hardcore pornography and violence.

I am therefore pleased that Tina Graham, the head of Kingsbridge community college, has just announced a smartphone-free policy from September to protect children, which will mean no phones in school at all except for reasonable adjustments. That is a much better policy than the “Not seen—put it in your bag” policy that most schools follow. In the light of such safeguarding concerns, where every child is only as safe as the least safe phone in school, why will the Minister not do the one thing that could transform our children’s mental and physical health, and school attainment and direct all schools to go smartphone free—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Please, this is not fair; I have to get others in. I call the Minister.

[Stephen Morgan]

The hon. Lady’s question demonstrates that mobile phones have no place in schools, and there is already guidance to reflect that. The mobile phones in schools guidance is clear and schools should prohibit the use of devices with smart technology throughout the school day, including during lessons, transitions and breaks. We expect all schools to take steps in line with that guidance to ensure that mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning. If pupils fail to follow those rules, schools should have the power to confiscate devices.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Secretary of State.

[Laura Trott (Sevenoaks) (Con)]

In the other place, Baroness Smith of Malvern, a Minister in the Department for Education, said:

“There is no clear scientific consensus on a negative impact from screen time and social media use on the mental health and neurological or functional development of children and young people.”—[Official Report, House of Lords, 23 June 2025; Vol. 847, c. 55.]

I fundamentally disagree. There is overwhelming and extensive evidence of the harm caused, so I want to know the Government’s position. Does the Minister agree with his ministerial colleague or with me on this issue?

[Stephen Morgan]

Last year, the right hon. Lady’s Government claimed that action on mobile phones was prohibiting their use in schools and that guidance meant

“a consistent approach across all schools.”

Those are their words. In backing the Tory Government’s measures, was she wrong then, or is she wrong now?

[Gareth Snell (Stoke-on-Trent Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

11. What assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding for sixth-form colleges.[R]

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Janet Daby)]

I take this opportunity to thank all post-16 providers and staff for their tireless work over the last academic year and wish them a restful summer break. Following the autumn Budget, this Government made available more than £400 million extra planned spending on 16-to-19 education in the financial year 2025-26. Since then, an additional £190 million for 2025-26 has been made available to respond to 16-to-19 demographic growth and other pressures on the system, creating opportunities for young people to succeed.

[Gareth Snell]

I draw the attention of the House to my entries in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests: I am a governor of the City of Stoke-on-Trent sixth-form college and the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on sixth form education. I thank the Minister for her answer; the additional capital available for post-16 providers is very welcome. The City of Stoke-on-Trent sixth-form college is seeing a huge increase in interest around science, healthcare science and computer science —subjects that are mission-critical to the delivery of the Government’s ambitious programme. When will the capital be available so that my sixth form and others around the country can build high-quality learning environments for young learners?

[Janet Daby]

I thank my hon. Friend for mentioning his fantastic City of Stoke-on-Trent sixth-form college. I reassure him and other Members that this Government are committed to ensuring that there is a place in education or training for every 16 to 18-year-old who wants one. Details of the £375 million of capital investment to accommodate additional learners entering the system will be announced in due course.

[Manuela Perteghella (Stratford-on-Avon) (LD)]

A report presented to the APPG for care-experienced children and young people revealed that more than 4,000 young people in care either moved placements or left care during their A-level exam period. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that schools and colleges are properly equipped to support care-experienced students facing such instability at a crucial point in their education?

[Janet Daby]

I thank the hon. Member for her thought-provoking question. She really advocates for care leavers and for ensuring that they have the durability they need at school to ensure they have a seamless experience. I reassure her that care leavers who start an apprenticeship are entitled to £3,000 bursaries, and local authorities must provide a £2,000 bursary for care leavers who go on to university. Let me just say that this Government are extremely concerned with education not being broken for care leavers and ensuring that we support them in every which way we can.

[Lincoln Jopp (Spelthorne) (Con)]

13. What steps she is taking to support children with SEND who do not have an education, health and care plan.

[Lizzi Collinge (Morecambe and Lunesdale) (Lab)]

17. What steps she is taking to improve support for children with SEND.

[The Minister for School Standards (Catherine McKinnell)]

We are engaging extensively with families and experts as we seek to improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities. We have invested £1 billion into high-needs budgets and £740 million into creating more specialist places. We are rolling out schemes, from the partnerships for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools—the PINS programme—to Inclusion 2028, which are laying the groundwork for long-term reform. We are building a system in which every child can achieve and thrive.

[Lincoln Jopp]

I thank the Minister for that answer. On Friday, I had the opportunity to visit the outstanding Springfield primary school in my constituency. It has 500 pupils, 30 of whom have education, health and care plans, with six applications in currently. Can the Minister reassure the parents of those six children and the many, many parents across the country that, while this review into EHCPs is going on, local education authorities will not slow-roll existing applications or fail them as a default in order for them to go to tribunal and try to beat the clock?

[Catherine McKinnell]

We have yet to decide on the future of education, health and care plans, but we are extremely focused on strengthening the support system so that every child can receive timely, high-quality help. We will set out further details about our approach to special educational needs in this autumn’s White Paper. In the meantime, obviously, children should be getting the support they need, and we are putting in the groundwork so that more children can have that.

[Lizzi Collinge]

We know that early intervention is most effective for children with SEN, but too many children in my constituency of Morecambe and Lunesdale have been let down in that respect. However, Lancashire is, for the first time, receiving funding for Best Start hubs. Can the Minister tell me how that will improve early support for those children?

[Catherine McKinnell]

As I said, we are already investing in supporting children and their families, including through Best Start family hubs, as my hon. Friend mentioned. We want to ensure that all children have access to a family service professional who is trained to support inclusion, can identify where children have additional needs ahead of starting school, and can support parents to navigate services.

[Dr Ben Spencer (Runnymede and Weybridge) (Con)]

14. If she will provide a timeline for the completion of construction works at the Magna Carta school in Egham.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Stephen Morgan)]

Ensuring that schools and colleges have the resources and buildings they need is a key part of our mission to break down the barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life. For this project, I can confirm that the Department is in the process of finalising the feasibility study, and we expect to procure the works later this year. Until that process is complete, we will be unable to advise on the length of the construction programme. However, positive progress continues to be made in collaboration with the trust.

[Dr Spencer]

I thank the Minister for his answer. Can he clarify whether the Magna Carta school will have a full rebuild, due to the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, or is it just the science and arts block that will be rebuilt? Will he meet me to discuss this issue and the work that will take place on such a fantastic local school?

[Stephen Morgan]

I am very happy to meet the hon. Member.

[Andy MacNae (Rossendale and Darwen) (Lab)]

15. If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of virtual teachers on school children.

[The Minister for School Standards (Catherine McKinnell)]

This Government are committed to ensuring that every child can access the tools they need in order to achieve and thrive. We inherited a challenging workforce picture from the previous Government, which is why we are committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 teachers. We are backing teachers and restoring teaching to being a highly valued profession. There is no doubt that technology has a key role to play in driving high and rising standards at school. However, the most important factor for high-quality education is having an expert teacher at the front of the classroom.

[Andy MacNae]

In Rossendale, the academy trust that runs our “stuck” school, Valley leadership academy, recently announced plans to introduce a virtual teacher for top-set maths. This approach has understandably raised a lot of concerns, and I have been working with the trust to make sure it is designed in the pupils’ best interests. I have been assured that this will be a temporary measure, that a qualified maths teacher will be in the room to provide additional support, and that an appropriate range of adjustments will be made for SEND pupils. However, I remain concerned that, without safeguards, virtual teachers may become a default cost-saving measure to address recruitment challenges. Will the Minister share her view on how we can ensure that such an approach is always designed in pupils’ best interests—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Come on, Andy. I call the Minister.

[Catherine McKinnell]

Technology has the potential to enhance time efficiency for teachers, reduce workload and improve student engagement and attainment, but it cannot replace the valuable relationship between teachers and pupils. We know that high-quality teaching has the biggest impact on a child’s educational outcomes. School leaders rightly have the autonomy to make decisions about staff deployment, and they are best placed to make decisions about the needs of their pupils.

[Will Stone (Swindon North) (Lab)]

16. What steps she is taking to increase security in schools against bomb threats.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Stephen Morgan)]

Safeguarding children in schools is a priority for this Government, and schools have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. Departmental guidance is clear that schools and colleges should have a policy and an emergency plan in place to manage and respond to security-related incidents.

[Will Stone]

I thank the Minister for his response, and for our recent meeting. Given that we have had two fake bomb threats in Swindon, which have obviously had a negative impact on my schools, will he assess the current guidance so that we can learn lessons from what has happened in Swindon and improve that guidance for the future?

[Stephen Morgan]

I thank my hon. Friend for our meeting last week. As I explained to him then, the Department for Education publishes the protective security and preparedness guidance, which sets out how schools should respond to bomb threats and how to embed a security culture. Action Counters Terrorism for Education e-learning, which includes information on what to do in the event of a bomb threat, is also available to all school staff.

[Alison Hume (Scarborough and Whitby) (Lab)]

18. What steps she is taking to help rebuild schools.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Stephen Morgan)]

This Government have made a long-term commitment to improve the condition of schools and colleges. We are investing almost £20 billion in the school rebuilding programme through to 2035, delivering rebuilding projects at over 500 schools across England, including eight schools in Scarborough and Whitby. A further 250 schools will be selected within the next two years. By 2035, we will also be investing almost £3 billion per year in capital maintenance for schools and colleges, and that figure will rise to £2.4 billion this year.

[Alison Hume]

Springhead sixth form in Scarborough has been rated outstanding for the education and care it provides for students with complex special educational needs and disabilities. The staff are amazing, but the sixth form is housed in an old and unsuitable building. When I visited Springhead, I saw one student being tutored in a modified corridor due to overcrowding. What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that pupils with special educational needs are educated in school buildings that can match those needs?

[Stephen Morgan]

We have increased funding to improve the condition of schools to £2.1 billion for 2025-26, which includes more than £7 million for North Yorkshire to invest in its maintained schools, including Springhead. North Yorkshire has also been allocated £6.8 million for 2025-26 to provide suitable and accessible school places for pupils with SEND who require alternative provision.

[Tom Gordon (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (LD)]

A number of years ago, Woodfield school in Bilton in my constituency was closed. It has been rebuilt as a specialist school for children with autism. It was meant to open in September last year, but that was delayed until September this year. Will the Minister meet me and confirm whether it will open on time this September?

[Stephen Morgan]

I am happy to meet the hon. Member.

[David Davis (Goole and Pocklington) (Con)]

19. What assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed reforms to education, health and care plans on children with SEND.

[The Minister for School Standards (Catherine McKinnell)]

Given the “lose, lose, lose” system that the last Government left behind—in their own words—we are working hard to reform the system so that every child can achieve and thrive. Any reform will be guided by how we improve support for children with SEND. There will always be a legal right to additional support, which this Government will protect.

[David Davis]

Given that answer, I will quote the Secretary of State. She was saying earlier that the system is so distorted that the financial allocations do not reflect the real needs of children. That means that local authorities have huge deficits through no fault of their own; they are trying to do their job. When she comes up with her new policy in the autumn, will she commit to writing off those deficits so that those authorities can do the job in the future?

[Catherine McKinnell]

As part of our reforms, we will commence a phased transition process, which will include working with local authorities to manage their SEND systems, including their deficits, alongside an extension to the statutory override until the end of 2027-28. We will set out more details about the plan for how we will support local authorities with the historical and accruing deficits accumulated under the last Government and since, due to the appalling situation that we inherited.

[Jen Craft (Thurrock) (Lab)]

On Friday I had the privilege of spending a good few hours with SEND parents in my constituency, talking about what does not work under the current system and what we would like to see changed. There was a lot of frustration and a lot of tears. They were honest and open about their upset at the current system, but there were also a lot of ideas and a determination to make change happen, so that those who come after us do not have to go through the same stress and anxiety that we do as SEND parents. Will the Secretary of State guarantee that the voices of parents, carers and families will be integral to forming the schools White Paper that is due out in the autumn?

[Catherine McKinnell]

I can give my hon. Friend that reassurance. I know that she is incredibly passionate about improving the SEND system, and this Government share that passion. We are not only determined to restore the trust of parents by ensuring that schools and local areas can better identify and support children; we are also working with parents and families to create that system, which we know will improve outcomes for children and their families.

[Peter Prinsley (Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket) (Lab)]

21. What steps she is taking to support young people into apprenticeships.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Janet Daby)]

Labour is rebalancing opportunities towards young people, giving them the skills they need to get on. Apprenticeship starts, achievements and participation are all up under this Government. From August, we are introducing foundation apprenticeships to support young people into careers in critical sectors, such as construction and health and social care.

[Peter Prinsley]

I feel sure that the Minister is aware that the outstanding West Suffolk college in Bury St Edmunds, with more than 10,000 enrolled students, is part of the outstanding Eastern Education Group, under the leadership of Nikos Savvas. Does she agree that West Suffolk college is an outstanding candidate to be awarded the status of being the construction technical college of excellence for the east of England? That would boost skills in construction, which are crucial for the new West Suffolk hospital and the Sizewell C construction site, which is the largest construction site in Europe.

[Janet Daby]

I thank my hon. Friend for his questions and, indeed, for his lobbying. Labour’s technical excellence colleges will be crucial to our plans to rewire our school system to unlock opportunity for young people and drive growth for our country. My hon. Friend is right: West Suffolk College is an outstanding provider, and I am sure that its remarkable achievements will be considered during the selection of our technical excellence colleges.

[Dr Caroline Johnson (Sleaford and North Hykeham) (Con)]

Degree apprenticeships are great for social mobility and for matching skills to the economy, and I am such a fan of them that I created one in my parliamentary office. Would the Secretary of State like to take the time for congratulate Jack Kellas, who has achieved not just a distinction in his apprenticeship but a first-class honours degree from the University of Lincoln, and will she do all that she can to ensure that more people have opportunities to take part in degree apprenticeships and achieve the same success as Jack?

[Janet Daby]

I thank the hon. Member for sharing Jack Kellas’s wonderful achievement. Level 6 apprenticeships are a core part of our offer, and we continue to fund them.

[Lee Anderson (Ashfield) (Reform)]

T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Bridget Phillipson)]

With your permission, Mr Speaker, I would like first to address last week’s tragic incident in Minehead. I am sure that all Members will join me in offering support and prayers to everyone affected by the Minehead middle school bus crash last Thursday. Our deepest sympathies and condolences go to all those affected at the school and in the wider community, and particularly to the family and friends of the 10-year-old boy who tragically lost his life. Most of the injured have now been released from hospital. Support has already been put in place for those affected, and it will continue into the summer break and beyond. I extend my thanks to everyone involved in co-ordinating and delivering this vital help, and I also pay tribute to the emergency services for their incredible response in the most challenging of circumstances.

This Labour Government believe that children growing up in our country deserve the very best start in life, which is why we are investing nearly £1.5 billion over the next three years to transform early years and family services. That will include £500 million to roll out Best Start family hubs in every local authority, honouring the proud legacy of Sure Start and ensuring that every family can thrive regardless of postcode or income. Labour is building back the crucial family services that were decimated by the Tories, providing high-quality support for parents, babies and children from pregnancy onwards—and we are only just getting started.

[Lee Anderson]

Last week I visited the Outwood academy school in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, which has gone from double special measures to “good” in just three years under the leadership of the Outwood Grange Academies Trust. Will the Secretary of State please say a big thank you to the trust, and the staff, for helping to turn the school around and giving the children in my town the education that they deserve?

[Bridget Phillipson]

Like the hon. Gentleman, I welcome the hard work of our teachers, leaders and support staff, and I am always pleased to hear about improvements in standards. This Government are ambitious for every child, and our new regional improvement in standards and excellence teams are working across schools to bring together leaders with experience in turning schools around. What I would say to the hon. Gentleman’s constituents is that, thanks to this Labour Government, thousands of children will now benefit from free school meals, the new breakfast club that is opening in his constituency will be a big boost to his constituents, and we are delivering new funding for Best Start family hubs. That is the difference that a Labour Government are making for his constituents.

[Andrew Lewin (Welwyn Hatfield) (Lab)]

T2. It remains a reality that it is possible to take a GCSE in Russian but not in Ukrainian, and I have resolved to do my part to help because I believe that a Ukrainian GCSE should be available to all. As this is a topical question, I bring some encouraging news: I have written to all the exam boards— Order. Topical questions should be quick. It will be, Mr Speaker, absolutely—topical and quick. AQA has reported back to me that it is very open to the idea, but it needs to see evidence that we have enough Ukraine-speaking teachers who are willing to teach the subject and to mark the papers. The good news is that, with support from parliamentary colleagues, I have found 250 teachers who can do just that. Does my hon. Friend agree that it should now be just a matter of time before a Ukrainian GCSE is available to all?

[The Minister for School Standards (Catherine McKinnell)]

My hon. Friend clearly knows that the decision to create any new GCSE is made by an independent awarding organisation, but I have also met the Ukrainian Education Minister, and I know how important this issue is to Ukrainian families living in the United Kingdom and to others. The Secretary of State has written to the awarding organisations to encourage them to create a Ukrainian GCSE. I am now well aware of my hon. Friend’s interest in the issue, and I am more than happy to convey it as well.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Secretary of State.

[Laura Trott (Sevenoaks) (Con)]

I completely support the Secretary of State’s opening words, and my thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the devastating incident.

Government documents state that the first step in achieving their primary school readiness mission is meeting their target of recruiting 6,500 teachers. The Secretary of State claimed at the last oral questions that she has always been clear that the 6,500 teachers are in secondary schools. If that is true, can she explain how secondary school teacher recruitment contributes to improving primary school readiness for four-year-olds?

[Bridget Phillipson]

This Labour Government are delivering the teachers that are desperately needed right across our schools. We were left behind a terrible crisis when it came to recruitment and retention, but this Labour Government know that improving standards in our schools requires having the best possible teachers available to teach all our children. That is why we delivered a pay award, and why we are making sure that we are tackling all the issues around workload. We are getting on and delivering the plan for change. The right hon. Lady comes here with the same relentless negativity week in, week out. We are delivering new free breakfast clubs, free school meals, cheaper uniforms, high-quality childcare and more apprenticeships. That is the difference the Labour Government are making.

[Laura Trott]

This is farcical. Will the Secretary of State finally admit that the original pledge to hire 6,500 teachers included primary school teachers, and that the Government are now abandoning their pledge? The reality is that, according to their own website, there are 400 fewer teachers than last year.

[Bridget Phillipson]

There are 60,000 fewer children in primary schools this year. I know the right hon. Lady was at the Treasury, so I would expect a bit more when it comes to her maths. It would be nonsensical to recruit even more primary school teachers when we have falling rolls. We are focusing our efforts where they are needed, and I am delighted that we are seeing big increases in the number of secondary maths teachers, secondary physics teachers and secondary STEM teachers. There are big increases right across the board—that is what Labour is delivering.

[Danny Beales (Uxbridge and South Ruislip) (Lab)]

T5. Last week, I had the pleasure of hosting in Parliament the Outcomes First Group, a group of specialist SEND schools. They presented their proposals for fixing the broken SEND system, including supporting more children in mainstream education, supporting collaboration between schools and upskilling teachers. Does the Minister agree that those are exactly the sorts of changes that are needed to fix the SEND system, and will she meet me and the school in my constituency to learn more?

[Catherine McKinnell]

Indeed, we are building a reformed system in which children and young people’s needs will be identified early, so that evidence-based support can be provided at the earliest opportunity. Earlier this year, I was pleased to open Benton House, a special school in my constituency that is also run by the Outcomes First Group. It was great to see such a well-resourced facility supporting children with complex needs. I would be delighted to hear more about the work in my hon. Friend’s constituency and the proposals.

[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Please, we have to try to get in as many Members as possible. I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

[Munira Wilson (Twickenham) (LD)]

I echo the Secretary of State’s remarks about the tragedy in Minehead. My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected.

Every parent who puts a baby into childcare wants to know that they are safe. In the light of the crucial role that CCTV played in the harrowing case at Twickenham Green nursery in my constituency, which resulted in a nursery worker being convicted of 21 counts of child cruelty last month, and in the tragic case of Gigi Meehan in Cheadle, will the Secretary of State commit to issuing fresh guidance to nurseries on the use and regular monitoring of CCTV footage?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Stephen Morgan)]

The hon. Member will know that I met the family of Genevieve Meehan recently. That was a tragic case. We need to make sure that we are doing everything we possibly can to protect children in nursery settings. That is why I am pleased that in the “best start in life” strategy, published just two weeks ago, we committed to have early years settings inspected within 18 months and, indeed, within four years. I have offered a meeting with the hon. Member, and I am very happy to discuss these issues further.

[Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)]

T6. Apprenticeships should be open to everyone. I have met too many young people in Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme who are more than capable of doing the job—they have the hands-on skills, the attitude and the drive to work—but are being held back from apprenticeships because they have to get a grade 4 in English or maths. When will the Government move forward with reforming the rule so that we stop shutting out good people from good jobs just because they did not get a pass in the classroom?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Janet Daby)]

I absolute agree with my hon. Friend. This Government will indeed stop shutting good people out of good jobs. He is probably aware that the Department funds apprentices to achieve a qualification as part of their training. We do not set entry requirements; these are decisions for employers. However, we have allowed for more flexibility in English and maths requirements for adults aged 19 and over.

[Alex Brewer (North East Hampshire) (LD)]

T4. Children in receipt of funds from the adoption and special guardianship support fund often have significant mental health, wellbeing and educational needs. For many of these children, their individual therapy is the single biggest factor enabling them to continue at school. What assessment has the Minister made of the implications of cutting funding for this therapy?

[Janet Daby]

The adoption and special guardianship support fund provides valuable therapeutic support to children and families, which is why we have committed to continuing the £50 million to this financial year. We have been holding discussions with key stakeholders, and we will soon announce the next steps for the fund.

[Gareth Snell (Stoke-on-Trent Central) (Lab/Co-op) [R]]

T7. As well as being the governor of a sixth-form college, I am proud to be a governor of the Abbey Hill special school in Stoke-on-Trent—I draw the House’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests accordingly—which is why I was so appalled by the comments of the Reform UK chairman that children with special needs are “naughty children”, often as the result of “bad parenting”. Can I invite the Secretary of State to condemn those comments, and to reaffirm our support for those children and parents?

[Bridget Phillipson]

I join my hon. Friend in condemning those remarks. I am aware that the Reform UK leader said, in similar comments,

“I’m not being heartless, I’m being frank”.

Well, I will be frank: Reform UK would plunge the SEND system into further disarray. Only Labour will back the children with SEND who need support.

[John Cooper (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)]

T9.   The citizenAID first aid charity provides excellent education in emergency situations to children and young people. I have written to the Scottish education department to invite it to introduce it to the curriculum. Is there any interest from the Department for Education down here?

[Bridget Phillipson]

If the hon. Gentleman would write to me, I will look into that further.

[Baggy Shanker (Derby South) (Lab/Co-op)]

T8. Meaningful work experience can be a life changer for our young children, cutting the risk of their being out of education, employment or training. The Derby Promise is hard at work linking schools with employers to raise the aspirations of our young people. Does the Minister agree with me, and does she recognise the valuable work that the Derby Promise delivers in opening doors for young people?

[Janet Daby]

I do indeed agree with my hon. Friend, and I applaud him for the work he did on the Derby Promise before he entered this place and for all he has done for children in Derby South since. I am delighted that employers such as Rolls-Royce have signed up to the Derby Promise to bring industry closer to young people and to inspire their future careers.

[Sir John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con)]

T10. Essex has seen a huge increase in the number of requests for education, health and care needs assessments, and is failing to meet the target, in part due to the difficulty of recruiting educational psychologists. Rather than trying to bury the problem by scrapping education, health and care plans, can the Minister say what the Government are doing to meet that need?

[Catherine McKinnell]

The right hon. Gentleman is pre-empting decisions before they have been made. We have not made decisions about the future of EHCPs. We are listening carefully and working with the sector to make sure we have the workforce in the system and the support systems to identify needs early. We will continue to do that, and we will work with families to design a system that works, rather than the one we inherited.

[Rachael Maskell (York Central) (Ind)]

York is seeking to advance new models of support for children with SEND that are inclusive and provide opportunity, including greater curriculum flexibility to deliver a broader education in small groups and a life skills curriculum so children are equipped to navigate the world around them safely. Would the Minister support City of York council to deliver such measures?

[Catherine McKinnell]

The hon. Lady will know that a curriculum and assessment review is currently being undertaken by an independent panel. We are keen that the curriculum is broad and rich, but also inclusive. We will be responding when the panel reports with its recommendations in the autumn.

[Sir Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con)]

When the Secretary of State talks of such a large reduction in the number of anticipated future primary school pupils, does she attribute any part of that to a wish by certain communities to develop a parallel education system, rather than engaging in full integration with this country?

[Bridget Phillipson]

I am not quite clear what the right hon. Gentleman is driving at with that question. What I have said in response to the very sharp decline in the birth rate is that as a Government we want to make sure that people are able to make choices that are right for them, including around family size. My concern is that too many young people, because of the inaccessibility of housing and the challenges they face in the jobs market, are making decisions they do not necessarily want to make. That is why the expansion of childcare, for example, is a critical part of how we are supporting families.

[Claire Hazelgrove (Filton and Bradley Stoke) (Lab)]

Those working in our schools in South Gloucestershire do a brilliant job, but they receive the lowest funding per pupil in all of England via a funding formula inherited from the previous Government. Does the Minister have plans to review the formula as part of the impactful wider work to ensure that every child receives the education they need to thrive, no matter where they live?

[Catherine McKinnell]

We recognise that schools are working incredibly hard to deliver in their communities. There is a whole range of factors that impact school funding, including their rural or urban nature and pupil numbers; we have discussed declining rolls. We will continue to keep the school funding formula under review. That does take time and it has to be done very carefully to ensure certainty for schools about their funding planning.

[Ben Obese-Jecty (Huntingdon) (Con)]

Last year, 565 EHCPs were issued in Cambridgeshire, with fewer than 10% completed within the statutory 20-week deadline. Cambridgeshire county council now ranks as the 10th worst nationally for meeting the timelines on their delivery. With 99% of SEND tribunals finding in favour of the parent, what steps is the Secretary of State taking to improve the process that sees so many applications require a tribunal, and to improve the delivery of EHCPs in Cambridgeshire, assuming they are not going to be scrapped in mainstream schools?

[Bridget Phillipson]

Until that final point, I thought the hon. Gentleman raised some serious concerns, which we have heard this afternoon from many colleagues across the House who need us to bring forward reform to deliver better outcomes for children with SEND. If the Conservative party wants to work with us to do this in a way that delivers a better system for children with SEND, I would be very happy to do so, but at the moment all we seem to get is opposition for opposition’s sake.

[Laurence Turner (Birmingham Northfield) (Lab)]

Victoria college in my constituency is one of the relatively small number of SEND specialist further education colleges in the country. It does outstanding work. For many years, such colleges have not had access to dedicated capital grant funding. Will the Minister be so good as to look into the issue and agree to meet me to discuss it further?

[Stephen Morgan]

Ensuring that schools and colleges have the resources and buildings they need is a key part of our mission to break down barriers to opportunity. I will be very happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss these issues further.

[Shockat Adam (Leicester South) (Ind)]

Sadly, both universities in my constituency, De Montfort University and Leicester University, are on the verge of making hundreds of redundancies and even shutting down complete faculties. What financial commitment is the Department making to secure academic jobs, especially in subjects such as chemistry, humanities and languages, rather than making short-term cuts?

[Bridget Phillipson]

The hon. Gentleman will appreciate that universities are independent institutions that are able to make their own decisions around financial management. As a Government, we have sought to stabilise the higher education sector. That is why we took the difficult but necessary decision to increase tuition fees. Later this year, we will be publishing a post-16 strategy that will deal with many of his questions.

[Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab)]

Last week, I heard from a mum who applied for an EHCP for her son in December and was told it would be ready in June. She has now been informed by Buckinghamshire council that he remains unallocated, with 789 children ahead of him. I am very grateful to the Secretary of State for the work she is doing to grip and reform the SEND system, but can she talk more about her ambitions to support people caught in the horrible waiting game for EHCPs?

[Bridget Phillipson]

We have heard this afternoon from my hon. Friend and so many Members across the House about the urgent need to make improvements for children with SEND. We are laying the foundations with more investment in the system, through both the high needs budget and capital, so we have the places that are needed. There is, of course, much we are doing right now with councils to improve some of the unacceptable waits that parents currently face.

[Greg Smith (Mid Buckinghamshire) (Con)]

The superb John Hampden school in Wendover reports that it is running a £109,000 deficit supporting students with significant SEND while they await assessments. However, it is an infant-only school, and the money often does not come through until the pupils have moved up to a junior school. Will the Minister look at how the system is working for infant-only schools, to make the system fairer?

[Catherine McKinnell]

As we have said, we are looking at reforms to the system; we recognise that there are challenges right across the system that we inherited. We know that families face challenges in securing support and that schools face challenges, too. We will look at every detail and announce reforms in the White Paper in the autumn.

[Mr James Frith (Bury North) (Lab)]

I recently hosted a series of engagements and roundtables on the SEN reforms, and it is impossible to ignore the sheer size of the problems this Government are confronting. Will the Secretary of State confirm that the legal right to specialist support will remain a core principle of every child’s entitlement as Labour rebuilds this broken system and that we will go further, delivering real outcomes, genuine inclusion and an SEN system built to serve families, not fail them?

[Bridget Phillipson]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the work he has done in this area over many years and for the way he champions this cause here on behalf of his constituents. I can confirm that children with SEND have a legal right to additional support and that Labour will protect that. He will appreciate that discussions are under way with families, campaigners and school leaders to ensure that we get this system right—a better system with strengthened support and more timely intervention and early identification of need. It is clear this afternoon that that mission is urgent, and that we need to deliver better outcomes for children with SEND. I look forward to working with my hon. Friend on that.

Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity

Monday 21st July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Before I call the shadow Home Secretary to ask this urgent question, I remind the House that hon. Members must not refer to any matters that are currently before the courts. Members are free to refer to broader policy issues, but they should not get into the details of the specific cases for which criminal charges are being brought.

15:46

[Chris Philp (Croydon South) (Con)]

(Urgent Question): To ask the Home Secretary to make a statement on criminal activity by illegal immigrants at asylum hotels.

[The Minister for Policing and Crime Prevention (Dame Diana Johnson)]

As the House will be aware, on Tuesday 8 July an arrest was made by Essex police following incidents that took place in Epping earlier that day, and a man was subsequently charged. His trial is due to start on 26 August, and he has been remanded in custody until that time. These are very serious allegations and it is vital that criminal justice procedures are able to run their course—Superintendent Tim Tubbs of Essex police has said that

“the last thing we want is for any public discussion to hinder an ongoing prosecution.”

I thank Essex police both for its swift response on that case and for handling the protests in Essex yesterday evening and in previous days with diligence and professionalism.

Criminal activity of any kind is totally unacceptable, wherever it occurs and whoever it is perpetrated by. As outlined following the recent Casey report, we are improving joint protection arrangements between the police and immigration enforcement linked to the asylum system. We are clear that where crimes are committed, every effort must be made to catch, prosecute and punish those responsible.

Let there be absolutely no doubt: foreign nationals, including asylum seekers, who abuse our hospitality by breaking our laws should expect to be removed from this country. In the first year of this Government, 5,179 foreign national criminals were removed from the UK—a 14% increase on the previous year. That is important progress, but we want to go further. Through the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, we are changing the law to ensure that individuals convicted of any registered sexual offence are not granted asylum, and we are legislating to allow for the tagging of any migrant considered to pose a threat to public safety or national security, as well as strengthening our crackdown on illegal working.

But we must go further to end hotel use. This Labour Government inherited an asylum system in chaos, with 400 hotels in use at the peak in 2023 at a cost of almost £9 million a day. We are changing that, clearing the asylum backlog and increasing returns to end the use of asylum hotels all together by the end of this Parliament. Alongside those actions, we are mounting a comprehensive and wide-ranging effort to tackle small boat crossings, including the intensified co-operation and pilot returns scheme with France outlined by the Home Secretary in her statement last week.

There is no quick fix for the chronic problems this Government inherited, but, for the first time in years, there is now a serious and sensible plan to restore order and proper management to the asylum and immigration system. Let me state plainly to the House that we expect rules to be respected and enforced, and we expect the law to be followed. When it is not, we expect those involved to face the full force of the law. We are taking every possible step to deliver the strong border security that the country needs, because nothing matters more than the safety of the British people.

[Chris Philp]

The Policing Minister was crowing about the Government’s action on small boats, but the truth is this: so far this year, the Government have allowed in 23,000 illegal immigrants across the channel—that is 52% up on last year; this year has been by far the worst ever; and numbers in asylum hotels are now higher than at the time of the election. This is a border security crisis, but it is also a public safety crisis, especially for women and girls. Many nationalities crossing—for example, Afghans—commit up to 20 times more sex offences than average; Louise Casey made that point in her report.

Now we have press reporting on the huge scale of the crime committed by illegal immigrants housed in the Government’s own asylum hotels. The Sun found 339 charges in the last six months based on only half the hotels currently operated. The Mail on Sunday found 708 charges based on only a third of those hotels. Those crimes included multiple cases of rape, sexual assault, violence, theft and arson, including the case that the Minister referred to in Epping, where a 38-year-old Ethiopian man has been charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. An illegal immigrant in Oxford has been convicted of raping a 20-year-old woman in a churchyard. A Sudanese man was convicted of strangling and attempting to rape a woman in a nightclub toilet in Wakefield. Violent protest in response to those appalling crimes is never justified. The public, though, are rightly sick of this illegal immigrant crime wave. It has to end.

Will the Minister commit now to doing the following things? First, will she record and publish the immigration status of all offenders? Secondly, will she close that asylum hotel in Epping? Thirdly, will she repeal the Human Rights Act for immigration matters? Finally, will she emulate Greece’s new approach, which started today, and deport all illegal immigrants on arrival from France without judicial process either back to their country of origin or to a safe third country? Will she give the House and the country those commitments?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

Let me repeat to the House that any allegation of crime or sexual assault—including by individuals in the asylum system—is incredibly serious and is to be treated so by the authorities and by the Government. I regret the tone that the shadow Home Secretary is taking on such a serious and important matter. I also gently remind him to look at his record and that of the Conservative party on this issue. More than 400 asylum hotels were in operation at their peak, housing over 50,000 people at a cost of almost £9 million a day. Enforced returns were down 50% on 2010. Returns of foreign national offenders had fallen by a thousand. Criminal smuggler gangs were able to exploit our weak border security—

[Chris Philp]

It is the worst year ever.

[Dame Diana Johnson]

There was no proper management of public safety risks posed by individual asylum seekers. [Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Do we both understand?

[Chris Philp]

indicated assent.

[Mr Speaker]

Okay. Carry on, Minister.

[Dame Diana Johnson]

There was no proper management of public safety risks posed by individual asylum seekers, and migrants could work illegally in the gig economy with few sanctions for the companies responsible.

This Government are gripping the situation and turning the system around. We have removed 5,179 foreign national offenders in our first year in office. Just to put that in perspective for the benefit of the House, that is more foreign criminals than were removed in the entire 20 months when the right hon. Gentleman was the Minister for Immigration.

[Chris Philp]

We had covid!

[Dame Diana Johnson]

Excuse, excuse, excuse.

I would say that the same pattern is true of illegal working—but actually it is even worse. In the first quarter of this year, we delivered more raids, more arrests and more fines for illegal working than the shadow Home Secretary managed in the entire time he was Immigration Minister. We did more in three months to crack down on illegal working than he managed in 20. Now—

[Chris Philp]

That’s nonsense!

[Dame Diana Johnson]

It is not nonsense; it is facts.

Now we are trying to go further in all these areas, but it is clear that the Conservatives and their friends in Reform are the ones trying to stop us. We introduced counter-terror measures at the border to smash the gangs responsible for the vile trade; they voted against the Bill that delivers that. We introduced measures to ban sex offenders from getting asylum in the UK; they voted against the Bill that delivers them. We introduced tagging for those arriving illegally who pose a risk to the public, and extended illegal working duties to cover the gig economy; once again, they voted against it. We have seen 14 years of inaction, leaving our borders exposed and our communities fractured—yet the shadow Home Secretary has the cheek to lecture us about keeping the country safe.

[Chris Murray (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab)]

I draw the attention of the House to my declaration of interests. People who come to this country legally and work hard are welcome, but the Minister is right to say that those who do not are not. We know that one of the big pull factors is the ability to work illegally in the UK. Can the Minister set out what the Government are doing to stamp out illegal working, and in particular the role of the new fair work agency introduced by the Employment Rights Bill, which will be critical in stopping illegal working in the UK?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

My hon. Friend will know that the Immigration Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Dame Angela Eagle), who I believe gave evidence to the esteemed Home Affairs Committee on which he sits, is looking at that issue. A number of companies have been reported in the press as employing or using people in particular from asylum hotels—I know the shadow Home Secretary has taken a particular interest in this—and the Minister is working very hard to ensure that those companies are held to account, and that the new provisions we are bringing in to ensure that the gig economy is treated in the same way as other employers, who have to check individuals’ immigration status, are followed through. There is much more to do, but certainly I know the Immigration Minister is working hard on this.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

[Sarah Olney (Richmond Park) (LD)]

The scenes of violent unrest at the Bell hotel this weekend are deeply concerning. Liberal Democrats will always defend the right to peaceful protest, but what we saw went far beyond that. There is no place for that sort of violence and thuggery in our society. I thank the police and the emergency services for their brave and professional response, and my thoughts go out to anyone who is feeling frightened as a result of those unacceptable scenes.

It is completely understandable that people are concerned about criminal activity, not least after the former Conservative Government’s chaotic approach to immigration shattered public trust. That is why we need an efficient asylum system that swiftly returns those without a genuine right to stay. I would welcome details from the Minister on what steps the Government are taking to deliver that. Clear rules that are properly enforced will be key to rebuilding public trust in the system after it was broken by the Conservatives.

[Dame Diana Johnson]

I welcome the tone of the hon. Lady’s contribution. This is a serious issue; I fully agree with her on peaceful protest, but it is totally unacceptable when that steps over into violent disorder, as we saw last summer, for example. She will know that there is a huge effort going in to deal with the backlog we inherited from the previous Government—to speed up the process so that those people who should not be in our country are swiftly removed, and those refugees and asylum seekers whose claims are accepted can get on with the rest of their lives.

[Sally Jameson (Doncaster Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

I welcome the surge in returns that we have seen and the raids on companies with illegal working practices. As we have spoken about many times in this House, those companies are incentivising the boat crossings and ultimately undermining our national security. Can the Minister set out what further enforcement there can be? Is it possible that conversations could be had with the Treasury about further measures that could be taken to bring some of these companies to heel?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

I am the Policing Minister, but I know that work is already under way on that issue. The Immigration Minister has had a number of conversations, particularly with employers, as I have just said, about where work should not be taking place because of individuals’ immigration status. There has been investment in the National Crime Agency—additional officers are working on this issue—and work is under way on smashing the gangs who were behind bringing people across in the small boats. There are also our international arrangements and treaties that we are signing with various countries, which the previous Government were unable to do.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Father of the House.

[Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con)]

This is a real national crisis, and there is such an outcry and such outrage in the country that there is a real danger that people will take the law into their own hands, which we all deprecate. We have to solve this, and the only way to do so is to have a reasonable and proper deterrent. We must arrest the people who land on our shores, detain them and send them back to where they came from. The Human Rights Act 1998 was never intended to cover illegal immigrants of this sort. We have to do this for all our sakes; otherwise, people will wrongly take the law into their own hands.

[Dame Diana Johnson]

As I just said to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Sarah Olney), who speaks for the Liberal Democrats, peaceful protest is completely acceptable. We understand that there are different opinions on immigration in this country, and people should be allowed to voice those opinions. When that turns into violent disorder, as we have seen, it is not acceptable. I know that the police behave in a very professional way. They allow protests to take place, but they clearly have to keep the King’s peace as well. The Father of the House is correct to say that we need a functioning system, where applications are dealt with swiftly, people are not waiting for years for applications to be decided, and those who should not be in this country are removed.

[Ms Stella Creasy (Walthamstow) (Lab/Co-op)]

I think many of us agree with the Minister when she says that it is important that we are able to debate immigration and refugees and how we as a country support them, and that we recognise when allegations of incredibly serious sexual offences are involved that people are rightly concerned. Peaceful protest plays its part, but she will be conscious that the police themselves have condemned the “mindless thuggery” that we have seen in Epping. Also, there are reports that seem quite serious about neo-Nazi groups and their leaflets being circulated. In order to protect peaceful protest, which many of us seek to do, we have to stop the direct targeting of individuals with violence. What assessment has been made of any co-ordination of violence by groups in these incidents?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

I say again that we absolutely believe that peaceful protest is part of our democratic process. Unfortunately, as my hon. Friend will know, there are always people who will seek to exploit situations, and we probably saw some of that over the last few days in Epping. I say again that there were people from the local community who were expressing genuinely held views, and it is important that we note that. However, I am also aware that literature was being distributed and that other groups were perhaps going to Epping to stir up problems. The police are aware of that, and they are looking at all the information and evidence about what happened, and they will obviously keep that under review.

[Dr Neil Hudson (Epping Forest) (Con)]

Two weeks ago in Epping, there were three alleged sexual assaults on school-age girls; my thoughts are with the victims, their families and their peers. These were allegedly linked to the Bell hotel, which has been stood up as an asylum hotel against all advice. Since then, we have had numerous major protests involving hundreds of people, injuries to police officers and damage to police vehicles. People quite rightly have the right to peaceful protest, but these violent scenes are not us. They are not Epping and they are not what we stand for. I want to thank Essex police for all that they are doing to keep us safe in these challenging and distressing times for our town. Following the protests, we have churches cancelling services, businesses closing early and local residents feeling like they are barricaded in their own homes. The hotel is in the wrong place: it is near a school and there is inadequate safeguarding of the hotel’s vulnerable residents. This is a crisis that is boiling over, and for the sake of community safety the Home Secretary and the Government must get a grip of the situation. They must listen and act now to close this hotel immediately. Will they now do that?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

The hon. Gentleman’s comments on behalf of his constituents were measured, and he is absolutely right that our first thoughts should be with those affected by what happened in Epping—the victims and their families. It is important for the House to note that. I also want to reiterate that this Government are committed to closing all asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament.

[Luke Akehurst (North Durham) (Lab)]

I welcome the shadow Home Secretary’s concern about crimes linked to the asylum system—that is a concern held across the House. Why does the Minister think the Conservatives and Reform voted against the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which allows the tagging of asylum seekers who pose a threat to public safety?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

I have absolutely no idea; it is for the shadow Home Secretary to explain that one. Clearly, I would expect all hon. and right hon. Members in the House to want to do everything to keep our communities safe.

[Cameron Thomas (Tewkesbury) (LD)]

I look forward to the swift deportation of anybody who takes advantage of our hospitality by breaking our laws and attacking women and young girls. In July 2024, I warned my constituents not to throw away their futures, as the far-right lynch mobs threatened to spread to Gloucestershire. Once again this thuggery has flared up, this time in Epping. What actions are the Government taking to support authorities in the prosecution of those who whip up this furore, both online and in positions of influence?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

The hon. Gentleman may know that a great deal of work has been undertaken since the disorder of last summer to ensure that intelligence is gathered from the online space, as well as the offline space, and that all the authorities are prepared and ready if there is any sign of disorder again. Just to reiterate, all of us in this House would recognise that peaceful protest is an important part of a democratic society, but not when it crosses over into the disorder and mayhem we saw last year when criminal acts were perpetrated by individuals.

[Amanda Martin (Portsmouth North) (Lab)]

I agree that it is important that we are able to debate immigration and asylum. People across the country know the consequences of the asylum system failing to protect the public, communities and businesses—we have had experience of that in my own city. Does the Minister agree that public safety must come first and that it is indefensible that the Tory party and Reform opposed measures allowing the tagging of high-risk individuals? Does she agree that the breadth and depth of this crisis needs us all to work together to regain public confidence?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend—she put that eloquently. Again, I expect that all Members of this House would want to do everything to protect the members of all communities in this country.

[Sir Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con)]

The Minister says that an asylum seeker convicted of an offence will not be granted asylum. Does she have some special method of sending them back to a country to which we cannot send anyone back if they have broken into our country illegally? Otherwise, what does her sanction amount to?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

To the right hon. Gentleman’s specific question, this is about not granting asylum to those who are convicted of a registered sexual offence, so it is not recognising that they have an asylum claim. That is the issue we are legislating for at the moment. The right hon. Gentleman and I understand that there are certain countries in the world to which it is difficult to return individuals—I fully appreciate that—but we are setting out in legislation a clear note that asylum will not be granted to those who are convicted of registered sexual offences.

[John Slinger (Rugby) (Lab)]

The shadow Home Secretary, the right hon. Member for Croydon South (Chris Philp), is trying to out-populist the populists, and there are dangers involved in that. Does the Minister agree that it is common sense for individuals convicted of sexual crimes to be barred from receiving protection in the UK? If so, why does she think the Conservatives and Reform voted against that?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

Again, that is a matter for each individual Opposition Member to explain to their constituents. I know that this is an issue that people care about. Opposition Members will have to explain their decision to their constituents, including in Croydon.

[Kirsty Blackman (Aberdeen North) (SNP)]

We have a responsibility to deal in the truth and to counter plainly false narratives. The Minister talked about the fact that this protest crossed over into mindless thuggery. Every one of us should stand up here and say that to our constituents or to anyone who gets in touch. People are spreading rumours that have no basis in the truth, including in my constituency, where last year a rumour went around about asylum seekers in hotels. It had absolutely no basis in the truth, but could have caused some sort of mob, like in Epping. This is dog-whistle politics. What is the Minister doing to tell people that, just as not everybody in any community in our country is a rapist, not everybody in migrant hotels is a rapist? We should do what we can to ensure that people are protected and decisions are made as quickly as possible.

[Dame Diana Johnson]

The hon. Lady raises an important point. Over the past few years, the online space in particular has been used for misinformation and downright lies. It is important that we all recognise that we should look carefully at social media sites. We should use critical thinking, as we teach our children in school. We should always ask why that piece of information has been put out and whether it is from a reliable source, and look for reliable media sources if we are seeking information about what is happening—that is important. We in this House have perhaps not been as quick as we should be to recognise how social media has moved things on in society in a way that we need to deal with. There is an enormous amount of work in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Home Office to consider what more we can do in relation to social media and the online space.

[Mark Ferguson (Gateshead Central and Whickham) (Lab)]

The shadow Home Secretary, the right hon. Member for Croydon South (Chris Philp), has spoken passionately about crimes in this country—including, I dare say, some by a number of individuals who entered the country on his Government’s watch when he was a Home Office Minister. As other Members have said, when Opposition parties take that position while voting against tagging asylum seekers who are perceived to be a threat, and against barring from the country those who have been convicted of sexual crimes, it damages not only confidence in our communities but the life chances of asylum seekers who have committed no crimes and have a legitimate claim to be here. Does the Minister agree?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

Yes. My hon. Friend puts it very well. Within this, there are people fleeing persecution in other parts of the world. This country, as we all know and have heard many times in the House, recognises our role in the world to offer a safe haven to such people. I fully endorse what he says.

[Sir Gavin Williamson (Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge) (Con)]

Over the past year, how many gangs have actually been smashed?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

As I understand it—obviously, I am the Policing Minister, but I will get the Minister with responsibility for immigration to write to the right hon. Gentleman about this—the National Crime Agency has over 80 ongoing investigations into networks, and 100 new NCA officers have been recruited and funded by the Border Security Command, taking the total number of officers focused solely on this issue to 500.

[Gareth Snell (Stoke-on-Trent Central) (Lab/Co-op)]

When violent disorder erupted on the streets of my constituency last summer, the police put themselves between two groups of people who had been wound up and were looking to see how much damage they could do to each other. Chief Constable Chris Noble, alongside Chief Inspectors David Barrow and Laura Davies, ensured that communities came together after the event to realise that neighbours can live in peace. My constituents expect everybody who has committed sexual offences or other crimes to be prosecuted, but what work is the Minister doing across Government to ensure that, once such events have taken place, communities can come together again and live in peace? Nobody wants to walk around on eggshells, fearful of their neighbours.

[Dame Diana Johnson]

My hon. Friend raises a really important point. After the disorder last summer we did see communities spontaneously coming together and wanting to say that what had happened in their local area was done not by the majority but by a very small number of people. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been working with local authorities on rebuilding community cohesion—which for many years under the last Administration was not seen as important at all—because it is so important that all parts of our society feel safe and valued. Through community cohesion, we stop those who wish to divide and pit people against each other, and recognise the valuable role that all parts of society and our communities play.

[Lee Anderson (Ashfield) (Reform)]

Illegal migrants crossing the channel are 24 times more likely to end up in British jails than British-born citizens, yet this Government allow thousands of unvetted males to enter this country who will commit horrific crimes like rape and murder, and there are some potential terrorists among them too. Does the Minister agree that it is time to forget the silly legislation that Labour MPs are bleating on about and to detain these people and deport them? We do not want to see any of these silly tags put on their ankles; just detain and deport them straight away.

[Dame Diana Johnson]

I sat on the Select Committee on Home Affairs with the hon. Gentleman for a number of years and I think he attended the visit to Manston when we were both on the Committee. [Interruption.] Well, perhaps he did not, but it might have helped if he had. At Manston, information and biometrics are taken from people who come across in small boats; they are checked against records. I wish he would have a look at what actually happens. I think the statistic he mentioned comes from a newspaper; I do not think it has actually been verified, although I am willing to have a look at it, but I think it was in The Sun if I recall correctly.

[Tristan Osborne (Chatham and Aylesford) (Lab)]

Members will be aware of the public streaming of violence and criminal activity towards property and police officers. This is the second year that this has happened over the summer period. Will the Minister confirm that she is engaging with other Departments on how we can review streaming activity so that it does not promote violence and criminality and replication in other locations around our country?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

That is a very important point and there are ongoing conversations with the Home Office and other Government Departments to ensure that it is addressed. That has been a problem particularly in the terrorist field, and action has been taken speedily to get such postings down.

[Nick Timothy (West Suffolk) (Con)]

I have been fobbed off with ridiculous non-answers to my written questions on this subject and an insulting letter from the Immigration Minister, the hon. Member for Feltham and Heston (Seema Malhotra), so I do not want to be promised yet another evasive letter that ignores the question. Will the Minister tell me what the legal reasons are that the Immigration Minister cited as justification for the Government and Serco refusing to tell MPs and local people when they move migrants into our constituencies and where?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

The hon. Gentleman is a relatively new Member of this House, but I have been in the House a while and certainly that did not happen under the previous Administration. There are always opportunities to improve and local Members of Parliament, local councils and the police are all engaged when people are moved into certain areas of the country. I know that happens, although I am sure it could be better, but I am happy to raise this again with the Immigration Minister because I have not had sight of the letter that she sent to the hon. Gentleman.

[Markus Campbell-Savours (Penrith and Solway) (Lab)]

The press regularly runs stories where economic migrants are quoted describing what they believe are the benefits available to them in the UK and the work opportunities that our relatively under-regulated labour markets offer. Does the Minister agree it is time that we considered Labour’s ID cards plan, scrapped by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, and its ability to reduce the UK’s pull factors for new migrants?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

The Government have been taking action over the past 12 months to deal with the issue of illegal working. There have been 10,031 illegal working visits, leading to 7,130 arrests—a rise of 48% and 51% respectively compared with the year before. That marks the first 12-month period in which more than 10,000 visits have taken place to start to tackle illegal working in this country.

[Adrian Ramsay (Waveney Valley) (Green)]

My constituency has a proud history of being a welcoming community. We have had an asylum hotel for two years with no problems; the families are well integrated in the local community with many children in the local schools. Late last week, however, we were told that people would be asked to move from that hotel with no notice from today, despite the fact that the hotel will still be used for asylum seekers. They do not know where they will need to move to. I have raised the issue with the Home Office and had no response, so can the Minister urgently look into it today? Does she agree that every MP with an asylum hotel in their constituency should have a dedicated Home Office contact so that we can work together to promote peace and harmonious community relations, and against disinformation and violence?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

I am happy to pass on that issue to the Immigration Minister.

[Kevin Bonavia (Stevenage) (Lab)]

We have heard Conservative and Reform MPs decry legislation that they say is stopping the problem being fixed. They talk the talk, but they do not actually vote for legislation. The shadow Home Secretary, with an angry face, was going on about what is happening in hotels, but it was his Government’s policy that set up hotels as hostels for asylum seekers. This Government have said that they will end the policy. Can the Minister set out the Government’s sensible approach—not gimmicks—to end the use of hotels as hostels?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

I thank my hon. Friend for those comments. It might help the shadow Home Secretary if I say that the number of hotels has gone down under this Labour Government. [Interruption.] Despite what the shadow Home Secretary says, the number of hotels has gone down since the Government came into power.

[Dr Caroline Johnson (Sleaford and North Hykeham) (Con)]

Violent disorder is always wrong, but we need to recognise that it is a symptom of people’s outrage at the current situation, and of their fear of crime—particularly sexual crime—in their community. The Minister should focus not on the tone of questions in the House and what has happened in the past, but on what she will do to solve the problem. In that respect, I agree with what the Father of the House said about requiring a credible deterrent, so does the Minister regret cancelling the Rwanda scheme?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

I totally disagree with what the hon. Lady said. Violent disorder is not a symptom—it is criminal. It is thuggery; it is attacks on our brave police officers. There is no reason or excuse for what happened last summer or for any violent disorder that may happen in future. It is criminal, it should be prosecuted, and people should face the full consequences of the law.

[Dr Scott Arthur (Edinburgh South West) (Lab)]

I thank the police for how they have dealt with the violent disorder that we have seen from a minority of people in recent days. I would much rather that the police were investigating the crimes that are allegedly behind the incidents. I also thank the Minister for showing zero tolerance to the minority of people in our asylum system who break the law—it is right that we do that. She mentions that the number of asylum hotels has come down. Has the bill also come down?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

The number of hotels has come down. The aim is to reduce the overall bill by £1 billion, but the number of hotels has come down since we came into power.

[Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) (Con)]

One year on, it is quite clear that the Labour Government have not got a grip on illegal migration and criminality. There is no plan and no cap, and it would appear today that there is not even an answer or any knowledge as to whether any gangs have been smashed. When will the Minister put in place an effective deterrent that protects not just our borders, but our citizens?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

The right hon. Lady says that there is no plan. First, we are working with source and transit companies to stop dangerous journeys before they begin. Secondly, we are stepping up law enforcement, with new powers, more National Crime Agency officers and specialist units in France to disrupt smuggling gangs. Thirdly, we are strengthening border security, with more patrols, drones and legal challenges to stop overcrowded boats. Fourthly, we have secured a new returns agreement with France—something that the shadow Home Secretary could not achieve—so that people arriving illegally by small boat can be sent back, while also accepting a matching number of eligible applicants through a safe route. Finally, we are cracking down on illegal working and reforming the asylum system to close loopholes exploited by gangs and ensure fair, controlled migration. That looks like a plan to me—that is a plan.

[Chris Webb (Blackpool South) (Lab)]

There have been numerous reports over the weekend about an alleged incident at the Metropole hotel, the asylum hotel in my constituency. The Minister will know that I have raised concerns about the hotel numerous times with the Home Office. Will she ensure that this incident is investigated swiftly and that I as the MP and the community get a report urgently?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

Absolutely—I am very happy to give that assurance. I know that my hon. Friend has been raising these issues for some time, so I am happy to do that.

[Sarah Pochin (Runcorn and Helsby) (Reform)]

While migrant hotels cost the British taxpayer billions, migrants are now being moved into houses in multiple occupation, taking houses from local people and causing misery for neighbours. Can the right hon. Lady tell the House how many migrants have been moved into HMOs? What is the cost to the British taxpayer?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

What I can tell the hon. Lady is that we inherited a huge backlog of claims for asylum. One of the important parts of dealing with the backlog is processing those claims and determining whether people have an asylum claim that can be successful; if it is not, they should then be returned. That is the whole purpose of closing the hotels, as we will speed up the processing of the applications.

[Lewis Cocking (Broxbourne) (Con)]

Last month, the Immigration Minister could not tell me in a written answer how many illegal asylum seekers have a criminal record. We have an asylum hotel in Cheshunt in my constituency, and my constituents are understandably concerned about criminal activity and antisocial behaviour. They do not think that the Government are listening to them. When will the Minister come to this House, meet her manifesto commitment and close the asylum hotel in my constituency?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

As I have said a number of times, this Government are committed to closing all hotels by the end of this Parliament. Fewer hotels are open now than when we came into power last July.

[Bradley Thomas (Bromsgrove) (Con)]

The vast majority of British citizens are law-abiding, and they are concerned about the impact of mass migration on their communities. A deterrent would go some way towards restoring trust that the British people may have in the asylum system. When will the Government implement a deterrent to send those entering the country illegally to a safe third country?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

As I have just set out in great detail, we have a plan. Let me say respectfully to the hon. Gentleman that the plan that the previous Government had resulted in four volunteers, I think, going to Rwanda. A general election was called; the then Prime Minister decided to call a general election. Why did he not let the scheme operate if it was such a success? That is the real question. Why did they go to the country if they were just about to have an enormous success with Rwanda?

[Jim Allister (North Antrim) (TUV)]

The House will be aware of the serious street disturbances in my constituency last month following the alleged rape of a young 14-year-old girl. Last week, Ballymena magistrates court was informed that the chief suspect has fled back to Romania. Does the Minister agree that extradition that works is an imperative, and that extradition that works expeditiously is an even greater imperative?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

Clearly that is a live matter before the courts, but I want people to be held to account for their actions. If that involves extradition, that is the right thing to do.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

As always, I thank the Minister for her answers. However, all too often we seem to be hearing about criminal activity by immigrants and asylum seekers across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and more needs to be done to address it. On behalf of my constituents, who ask me this question all the time—every weekend, to be precise—what steps will the Minister take to ensure that we have a zero-tolerance policy for migrants awaiting an asylum decision, so that if they are detained for any kind of criminal activity during that time, they will be sent back to their country of origin as a matter of urgency?

[Dame Diana Johnson]

As I said at the outset, whoever perpetrates a crime will be held to account, and there will be consequences. I hope I have been clear that that includes people who are making asylum applications, as well as the wider general public. People have to be held to account.

Independent Water Commission

Monday 21st July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Sir Roger Gale)]

Before I call the Secretary of State to make his statement, I place on the record the fact that Mr Speaker and the Deputy Speakers were disappointed to see extensive coverage in the media this morning of Ministers’ responses to the Independent Water Commission, before the House has had the opportunity to consider the matter. It would be nice to think that the normal courtesies will be resumed.

16:30

[The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Steve Reed)]

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I have, of course, saved the bulk of my responses for you and the House this afternoon. With permission, I would like to update the House on the Government’s plans to reform the water sector.

The water industry is clearly failing. Our rivers, lakes and seas are polluted with record levels of sewage, and water pipes have been left to crumble into disrepair. I share customers’ fury at rising bills. Right now, hosepipe bans are in place across the country because not a single new reservoir has been built in over 30 years, and the lack of water infrastructure is blocking economic growth. Water companies have been allowed to profit at the expense of the British people when they should have been investing to fix our broken water pipes. They got away with this because of a broken regulatory system that has failed both customers and the environment. The public expressed their fury in last year’s general election and voted for change. That change will now come.

In just one year, we have put in place the building blocks for change. First, we restored accountability by giving the regulators more teeth and introducing a ban on unfair bonuses, severe and automatic penalties for breaking the law, and jail sentences for the most serious offences. Secondly, we are investing £104 billion of private sector funding to rebuild the water network, upgrading crumbling pipes, repairing leaks, building new sewage treatment works and digging out new reservoirs. It is the single biggest investment in the history of the water sector, and it allows me to make a new commitment to the country: this Government will cut water companies’ sewage pollution in half by the end of the decade. That is the most ambitious commitment ever made by any Government about water pollution, and it is just the start. Over a decade of national renewal, we will restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health.

The third building block for change is today’s final report from Sir Jon Cunliffe’s Independent Water Commission. I express my thanks to Sir Jon, his officials, and all those who have contributed to this outstanding piece of work. I agree with Sir Jon that water regulation has been too weak, too complex, and ineffective. Having four separate regulators with overlapping and conflicting remits has failed both customers and the environment. Ofwat has failed to protect customers from water companies’ mismanagement of their hard-earned money, and it has failed to protect our waterways from record levels of pollution. Today, I can announce that this Labour Government will abolish Ofwat. We will bring water functions from four different regulators into one—a single powerful super-regulator responsible for the entire water sector, with the teeth it needs to enforce the high standards that the public rightly demand.

The new regulator will stand firmly on the side of customers, investors and the environment and prevent the abuses of the past. For customers, it will oversee investment and upgrade work, so that hard-working British families are never again hit by the shocking bill hikes that we saw last year as customers were left to pay the price of failure by the previous Government. For investors, it will provide the clarity and direction required for a strong partnership between Government, the sector and investors to attract billions of pounds of new funding. For the environment, it will reduce all forms of pollution to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good. We will work closely with the Welsh Government to devolve the economic regulation of water to Wales.

I will publish a White Paper this autumn giving the Government’s full response to the Independent Water Commission’s final report and launching a consultation on it. Following that, I will bring forward a new water reform Bill early in the lifetime of this Parliament. Ofwat will remain in place during the transition to the new regulator, and I will ensure that it provides the right leadership to oversee the current price review and investment plan during that time. To provide clarity during this period, I will issue an interim strategic policy statement to Ofwat and give ministerial directions to the Environment Agency setting out our expectations and requirements. We will publish a transition plan as part of our full Government response in the autumn.

Today, we are immediately taking forward a number of Sir Jon’s recommendations. First, we will establish a new statutory water ombudsman—a single, free service to help customers resolve complaints such as incorrect bills, leaking pipes or water supply failures. The new ombudsman will have the legal powers to protect customers and will bring the water dispute resolution process in line with other utilities, such as energy. It is part of the Government’s ambition to put customers at the heart of water regulation.

Secondly, we will end the era of water companies marking their own homework. We will end operator self-monitoring and transition to open monitoring to increase transparency and help restore public trust. Water companies are already required to publish data on some sewage spills within one hour. We will roll out real-time monitoring across the wastewater system, and all this data will be made publicly available online. That will ensure that the regulator and, importantly, the public have the power to hold water companies fully accountable.

Thirdly, we commit to including a regional element within the new regulator to ensure greater local involvement in water planning. By moving to a catchment-based model for water system planning, we can tackle all sources of pollution entering waterways, so that they can be cleaned up more effectively and more quickly. This will ensure—for the first time—that water infrastructure investment plans align with spatial planning to support faster regional economic growth. The lack of water infrastructure that held back development around Cambridge and Oxford for so long will not happen again.

The new regulatory framework will recognise the risks investors take and, if they meet their obligations, they will see a fair, stable return on their investment. Just last week, I signed the Government’s new water skills pledge to make sure that the sector has the skills and workforce it needs to deliver this vast investment.

This Labour Government were elected to clean up water pollution and ensure that unacceptable bill hikes can never happen again. We now have all the building blocks in place to make that happen. We are establishing a new partnership based on effective regulation, where water companies, investors, communities and the Government will work together to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Sir Roger Gale)]

I call the shadow Minister.

16:40

[Robbie Moore (Keighley and Ilkley) (Con)]

I am grateful to the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement. I shall be responding on behalf of the shadow Secretary of State while she meets farme