Live Debate: Commons Chamber

Q16. What recent progress her Department has made on implementing the complaints scheme provided for in the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023. (908734)

The Secretary of State made a written statement to the House this morning, Mr. Speaker, confirming morning, Mr. Speaker, confirming the timing of commencement of the higher Education Free Speech Complaints Scheme and regulatory conditions. The complaint scheme will be commenced from the 1st of September this year, and the regulatory powers from the 1st of April 2027.

15:14

Josh MacAlister MP, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Whitehaven and Workington, Labour)

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Minister. Oh, sorry. course it doesn't go far enough. If we take the case of Brody Mitchell, suspended from Royal Holloway for a spat at a freshers fair, he would not be under the new guidelines. Be able to complain directly to the office for students. Why is that?

15:15

Harriet Cross MP (Gordon and Buchan, Conservative)

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The office system that is in place at the moment does allow for students to complain about breaches of freedom of speech. The written statement this morning laid by my hon. Friend the Secretary of State is all about expanding that coverage to staff and visiting lecturers and other speakers, as lecturers and other speakers, as well as ensuring that we've got a system in place where the office can go back to institutions and hold them to account. hold them to account.

15:15

Josh MacAlister MP, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Whitehaven and Workington, Labour)

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Jack Rankin Minister.

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right. critical. Perspectives. Climate scepticism. Are

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Climate scepticism. Are challenging the. Perceived wisdom that diversity is our strength. With the need to put.

15:16

Jack Rankin MP (Windsor, Conservative)

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>> Terrorism barriers around Christmas markets, there's a clear two tier approach to free.

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Speech on our campuses, and it's students who are the nub of it. That is exactly why the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act Education Freedom of Speech Act gave students the right to go to the Office of students. So why, under this proposal, can academics and visiting speakers complain but not students? It is called the office for students, or is he planning to rename it the office for everyone on campus except students?

15:16

Josh MacAlister MP, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Whitehaven and Workington, Labour)

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Well, Mr. Speaker, as I have >> Well, Mr. Speaker, as I have already said, students have a route of redress through the office for students at the moment, the students at the moment, the government has been focussed on pulling together an enforceable regime, and it is welcomed that regime, and it is welcomed that across this House, both the Labour Party and the Conservative Party are supportive of action to protect freedom of speech at our universities.

15:16

Topical questions: Education

We now come to topicals. Doctor Danny Chambers Mr Speaker. >> Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's been a busy month since the last session of education questions, so session of education questions, so I'll give the House a short update on what my department has done since then to give our children the best start in life. We began opening 200 new Best Start Family Hubs. Building on the proud legacy of Surestart, we opened 500 new

15:17

Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, The Secretary of State for Education (Houghton and Sunderland South, Labour)

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free breakfast clubs to save parents £450 and give children a great start to the day. And we great start to the day. And we announced the next wave of school based nurseries as research showed that Labour has halved childcare that Labour has halved childcare costs for families and we scrapped the two child limit, putting labour on course to lift a record number of children out of poverty. Labour of children out of poverty. Labour is boosting family finances and children's life chances.

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children's life chances. week. And my Winchester office, I held a meeting for parents of Send Children and some of them were literally in tears discussing the fight. They had to have to get the care that they're entitled to with any reforms that are made to the sound system at the moment, which are much needed. Can we assure parents that this will not cause parents that this will not cause mental health, housing and stress, stress and anxiety like it has been because it's absolutely crippling here? here?

15:18

Dr Danny Chambers MP (Winchester, Liberal Democrat)

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Mr. speaker, I recognise what the hon. Gentleman has set out. I have spoken to so many parents, families, children across the country who have been badly let down by a system that has not put children's needs first. We are determined to change that through the once in a generation send reforms that we're setting out. I'm reforms that we're setting out. I'm glad to hear that the hon. Gentleman held an event in his constituency. I would encourage all members to make sure that parents, educators and others are sharing consultation.

Speaker.

15:18

Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, The Secretary of State for Education (Houghton and Sunderland South, Labour)

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As the MP for Sandhurst.

15:18

Peter Swallow MP (Bracknell, Labour)

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I'm proud to. families. >> My hon. Friend will know that armed forces families often move around, but no particular support seems to be given to their children. There is no marker to identify these children. They don't qualify for fair access protocols, and they're given no particular priority in emissions. Will she meet with me to discuss how we can better support the children of Armed Forces families?

15:19

Georgia Gould MP, Minister of State (Education) (Queen's Park and Maida Vale, Labour)

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Mr. speaker, I really welcome the question from my hon. Friend, and we're deeply grateful for the and we're deeply grateful for the service of our Armed Forces families. I would I would welcome the opportunity to meet. I also met the opportunity to meet. I also met recently with the Armed Forces APPG, and we'll be bringing forward further reforms on on admissions shortly. Trott.

15:19

Rt Hon Laura Trott MP (Sevenoaks, Conservative)

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Yeah. >> Mr. Speaker, we learned last week that in the tragic Southport case, when the head teacher warned about the killers increasing about the killers increasing extreme behaviour, the social worker accused the head teacher of racially stereotyping the pupil as racially stereotyping the pupil as a black boy with a knife. The result was that the warnings were rewritten in many cases and this is not a one off. We know it happened in Sara Sharif, where, I quote race was a bar to reporting possible child abuse, and we saw the failure repeatedly with the grooming gang scandal, Mr.

speaker, being too scared of causing offence means children are being harmed. So I ask the Secretary of State directly, what concrete action is she taking to stop repeated cases of political correctness overruling the safeguarding of children?

15:20

Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, The Secretary of State for Education (Houghton and Sunderland South, Labour)

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Mr. speaker, there is no more important responsibility than making sure our children are kept making sure our children are kept safe from harm, and we will take forward any measures that arise out forward any measures that arise out of that inquiry to make sure that we can do everything within our power to keep children safe, whether that is in school or in the home. We are already taking action to reform children's social care. There are more social workers that we are recruiting and the numbers are very high at the moment.

But I would say, Mr. Speaker, it is through our Children's Well-Being and Schools Bill that we are delivering the single biggest upgrade to child protection legislation in a generation. It should be on the statute books already, but she and the party opposite continue to block its progress.

15:20

Rt Hon Laura Trott MP (Sevenoaks, Conservative)

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Laura Trott if you want to actually start keeping children safe online, then we will stop our objections. But you're refusing to objections. But you're refusing to do that. But in another example of so-called progressiveness, local so-called progressiveness, local authorities across the country are unbelievably trying to stop exclusion, where children are bringing knives to schools. This is happening right here in London with city councils, including charter, and in Sheffield, where the policy led to the tragic stabbing of Harvey Willgoose, who had previously bought an axe into school and he was not excluded.

Will the Secretary of State condemn the spread of anti exclusion ideology and support schools to exclude when knives are brought into the school estate?

15:21

Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, The Secretary of State for Education (Houghton and Sunderland South, Labour)

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Mr. speaker, school leaders have >> Mr. speaker, school leaders have my full support in taking action around issues such as violence and of course there should be an expectation, a clear expectation that action is taken where it applies to cases such as those at the right hon. Lady has set out. But I would just like to caution her in talking about some of the details of those cases in the way that she has. We all have a responsibility, Mr. Speaker, to make sure we give full and accurate accounts of exactly what has taken place, and I do look forward to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, allowing us to take further action to keep children safe at home in their communities, wherever they are.

We will not hesitate to act.

15:22

Rachael Maskell MP (York Central, Labour )

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Rachael Maskell Mr. Speaker. >> Rachael Maskell Mr. Speaker. >> 4% of children are diagnosed with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, which is totally avoidable, yet its impact can impact on movement, communication, impact on movement, communication, thinking, concentration and many physiological changes. Placing significant demands on the system. Will the Education Secretary work with the Health Secretary to deliver 1001 critical days strategy for preventing Fasd and rising demand on the system?

15:22

Georgia Gould MP, Minister of State (Education) (Queen's Park and Maida Vale, Labour)

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Mr. speaker, I thank my hon. Friend for raising this critical issue. It's an area that we are issue. It's an area that we are already working closely with health colleagues on, both on our support for for families, but also in response to the needs that children have. And I know we've got a this.

15:23

Munira Wilson MP (Twickenham, Liberal Democrat)

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Munira Wilson Liberal Democrats. deeply alarmed by reports that Labour MPs were being given pre-written feedback to share following consultation sessions with constituents on the with constituents on the government's special needs reforms. The Secretary of State promised to put families at the heart of her changes. So will she assure parents and carers that the send consultation is entirely free from political interference and they will be listened to, especially regarding their rights?

15:23

Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, The Secretary of State for Education (Houghton and Sunderland South, Labour)

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Mr. speaker, I can give the hon. Lady my absolute assurance that through the consultation we are through the consultation we are running at the moment, we want to hear directly from parents, from children, from those working in education. The first event happened today across the country. There will be events right across the country and online events, and I'm pleased that Labour members are speaking to their constituents to understand the changes that we want to bring. I would, of course, be happy to discuss any aspect of the reforms with the hon.

Lady, because I do want to make sure that we can build a system that delivers better outcomes for children, but stands the test of time, too.

15:24

Douglas McAllister MP (West Dunbartonshire, Labour)

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our ambitious child poverty strategy puts more money into the pockets of puts more money into the pockets of families and working parents. Removing the two child cap benefits 2260 children in my West Dunbartonshire constituency, and the Minister for education is doing much more on top of that which we are missing out on in Scotland. So does the Minister agree with me that we need a government more interested in education than gimmicks in Scotland here?

15:24

Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, The Secretary of State for Education (Houghton and Sunderland South, Labour)

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He's absolutely right and that's why people across Scotland should why people across Scotland should vote for Anas Sarwar and Scottish Labour. And last month I was in Scotland hearing directly from Scotland hearing directly from parents about the difference that lifting the two child limit will make measures that were opposed by the party opposite, who would plunge hundreds of thousands of children back into poverty. But there is so much more that we could do together, Mr. Speaker, if we had a government in Scotland that also was determined to tackle child poverty in the same way that this Labour government is determined to deliver, it is time for change in Scotland and a new direction.

15:25

John Milne MP (Horsham, Liberal Democrat)

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John Milne thank you, Mr. Speaker. My constituency of Horsham, there are some brilliant there are some brilliant specialists in schools such as anthem House and Aurora Vincent. However, in the white Paper there However, in the white Paper there is currently no clear definition of what a specialist school is and concerns remain that provision is concerns remain that provision is being framed as something to be reduced rather than planned. What role does the department see for special schools within the reformed system, and how will they be funded in here?

15:25

Georgia Gould MP, Minister of State (Education) (Queen's Park and Maida Vale, Labour)

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Mr. speaker, we agree that the role of special schools in the system is incredibly important, system is incredibly important, providing vital care for children with the most complex needs and supporting their wider education. They have a they have a very important role in the schools White Paper, both in the education support, but the outreach they do for mainstream schools and. It's precisely to end the postcode lottery and create more clarity over what specialist provision should look like that. We are we are proposing to introduce specialist provision packages.

15:26

Florence Eshalomi MP (Vauxhall and Camberwell Green, Labour )

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Florence Eshalomi thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Secretary of State for visiting Saint Paul's State for visiting Saint Paul's Primary School in my constituency a few weeks ago to meet with the excellent head, Angela Batchelor excellent head, Angela Batchelor and her staff team, hearing firsthand from parents how important it is to have that wrap important it is to have that wrap around the nursery service and the additional breakfast clubs. One of the issues raised is, and I know that the Secretary of State is really looking at this.

Can she outline when we'll see some of those changes coming through to help those families who are really struggling with accessing the system from their local authority?

15:26

Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, The Secretary of State for Education (Houghton and Sunderland South, Labour)

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It was fantastic, Mr. Speaker, to visit my friend and to see at first hand the impact that our first hand the impact that our changes are bringing to children and families across her constituency. She is right that the sensor system that we have at the sensor system that we have at the moment just isn't working for children or families, and I would encourage her constituents to share their thoughts with us through the consultation. But we aren't waiting to drive. The change we know is desperately needed.

Just last week, I announced the first wave of investment in our Experts at hand program. That will make a huge difference to making sure that children can get the specialist quickly.

15:27

Aphra Brandreth MP (Chester South and Eddisbury, Conservative)

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Aphra Brandreth yes. >> Aphra Brandreth yes. >> Mr. Speaker, a local employer himself, a former apprentice, tells me his industry is now in crisis, me his industry is now in crisis, with his firm's apprentice intake falling from 60 to just 20 this year due to this government's decisions. Meanwhile, Reaseheath College is having to turn students away in a restrict courses in agricultural engineering and construction due to a lack of funding. With nearly 1 million young people not in education, employment or training, does the Secretary of State accept that this government is failing young people, and will she instead back the conservative plan to create 100,000.

15:27

Josh MacAlister MP, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Whitehaven and Workington, Labour)

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More apprenticeships by lifting funding caps and supporting employers with up to £5,000? employers with up to £5,000? >> Mr. Scott Come on, Mr. Speaker. young. >> People being out of work and

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People being out of work and education is shameful. It's the mess that we are cleaning up, and I'm delighted to share with the I'm delighted to share with the House that we are introducing a new deal for young people, which includes a £2,000 grant for small to medium sized enterprises, taking on 16 to 24 year olds into work. A new £3,000 youth job grant for hiring apprentices aged 18 to 24, who've been on Universal Credit for more than six months.

We are the Labour Party. That means we're about getting young people into work. Karl Turner.

15:28

Karl Turner MP (Kingston upon Hull East, Independent)

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Mr. Speaker, whistleblowers have >> Mr. Speaker, whistleblowers have raised with me concerns serious concerns about the governance of concerns about the governance of academy trust in my constituency. I've raised this matter privately with the Secretary of State, but I with the Secretary of State, but I wonder whether she might arrange for a Minister to meet with those whistleblowers so they can discuss the concerns and have those concerns taken seriously, because I'm seriously concerned myself.

15:28

Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, The Secretary of State for Education (Houghton and Sunderland South, Labour)

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I'm grateful to my hon. Friend >> I'm grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that issue. I would, of course, be happy to make sure that a meeting takes place so that that a meeting takes place so that that information can be shared and fully considered. We also, Mr. Speaker, considered. We also, Mr. Speaker, are bringing forward. Mr. speaker, we are also bringing forward, through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, further accountability when it comes to trusts to make sure that there is an inspection framework around that too.

And perhaps I could discuss that further with my with the hon. Gentleman.

15:29

Josh Babarinde MP (Eastbourne, Liberal Democrat)

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Josh Newbury thank you, Mr. Speaker. Eastbourne headteachers have expressed grave concerns about have expressed grave concerns about the impact of the new Ofsted framework on staff wellbeing, but also on the punishing impact that also on the punishing impact that they will have on schools in deprived areas. Will the Minister meet with me and with Eastbourne headteachers for a roundtable to discuss how we can avoid disastrous

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consequences again? Mr. Speaker, I'd be very happy to meet with the hon. Member for to meet with the hon. Member for the new framework has been designed to support the wellbeing of heads and to give a clear and full view

15:30

Georgia Gould MP, Minister of State (Education) (Queen's Park and Maida Vale, Labour)

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and to give a clear and full view of school performance, but happy to continue that conversation. >> Jo White.

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I welcome. The government's announcement. That there will be eight Best Start Family Hubs across Bassetlaw Start Family Hubs across Bassetlaw in Manton, Retford West, Bassetlaw, the Oasis Community Centre, Holcroft, Haworth, the proposal, and the highest number in the country. Will the Minister agree country. Will the Minister agree with me that this will guarantee an excellent start for hundreds of children across my constituency?

15:30

Jo White MP (Bassetlaw, Labour)

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I do agree with her. I thank her for all she's done for children and families in her constituency. We are determined to ensure every child gets the best start in life, and every family gets the community and connection these hubs will offer.

15:30

Olivia Bailey MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities) (Reading West and Mid Berkshire, Labour)

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Lee Anderson thank you, Mr. Speaker. 25% of Selston high schools had to close down because it's got structural problems. Now, the school has submitted a bid for the school's rebuilding programme, so could the Minister please ensure that this school gets the funding it needs to reopen its doors?

15:31

Lee Anderson MP (Ashfield, Reform UK)

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Mr. speaker, I was concerned to hear that the school did need to shut last Monday. During a school closure is no laughing matter. And of course. It's. I'm thankful, Mr. Speaker, that children are back in Speaker, that children are back in school. They're back in school on Tuesday. I'd be very happy to speak to the hon. Member about the situation, but of course, it is the legacy of the member, the party he was a member of and before the was a member of and before the party.

He is now a member of.

15:31

Josh MacAlister MP, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Whitehaven and Workington, Labour)

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Final question. Speaker. I'd like to welcome the experts at hand service and the 3.7 million that's been given to Cornwall to set this up. However, we struggle to get OTS at sites and speech and language therapists down in rural and coastal areas. Could the Minister say what incentives or what they're doing to encourage these people to come down to Cornwall to work in our services here?

15:32

Jayne Kirkham MP (Truro and Falmouth, Labour )

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Mr. speaker, we were really delighted to announce £429 million into new speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, educational psychologists, which will go to communities around the country. And we're working very

15:32

Georgia Gould MP, Minister of State (Education) (Queen's Park and Maida Vale, Labour)

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closely with colleagues in health to ensure that there are no cold spots, and every single school and spots, and every single school and child has access to that essential support. support. Order. Before we come to the Prime Minister, I wish to make a brief statement. The subject we're about to discuss is the utmost seriousness. Expect the discussion to be focussed on the facts and the issues at hand, and not on personal attacks against

15:33

Speaker's statement

individual members. While certain criticisms may be made about the government collectively, as Kim May, government collectively, as Kim May, paragraph 21.24 makes clear that any accusations against individual any accusations against individual members about lying or misleading the House may only be made on the the House may only be made on the substantive motion. They may not be made as part of an exchange on the statement. The House rule on this statement. The House rule on this is in place to ensure that members focus on the substantive matters under discussion, and if the debate is needed on matters of individual conduct, that must be drawn in the proper terms with notice, I encourage all members to engage in respectful debate, and our constituents would expect I therefore no consensus statement.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

15:33

Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer MP, The Prime Minister (Holborn and St Pancras, Labour)

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With permission, I'd like to provide the permission, I'd like to provide the House with information that I now have about the appointment of Peter Mandelson as our ambassador to the United States. But, Mr. Speaker, before I go into the details, I want to be very clear with this House that while this statement will focus on the process surrounding Peter Mandelson's vetting an appointment, at the heart of this, there is also a judgement I made that was wrong.

I should not have appointed Peter Mandelson. I take responsibility for that decision and I apologise again to the victims of the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who were clearly failed by my decision. Mr. speaker, last Tuesday evening, the 14th of April, I found out for the first time that on the 29th of January 2025, before Peter Mandelson took up his position as ambassador, the Foreign Office officials granted him developed vetting clearance against the specific recommendation of the United Kingdom security.

Vetting that developed vetting clearance should be denied. Not only that, the Foreign Office officials who made that decision did not pass this information to me, to the Foreign Secretary, to her predecessor, the deputy Prime Minister, to any other Minister, or even to the former Cabinet secretary, Sir Chris Wormald. I found this staggering. And therefore, last Tuesday, I immediately instructed officials in Downing Street and the Cabinet Office to urgently establish the facts on my authority.

I wanted to know who made the decision, on what basis. Who knew? And, Mr. Speaker, I wanted that information for the precise and explicit purpose of updating this House, because this is information I should have had a long time ago, and it is information that this House should have had a long time ago. It is information that I and the House had the right to know. I will now set out a full timeline of the events in the Peter Mandelson process, including from the fact finding exercise I instructed last Tuesday.

Before doing so, I want to remind and reassure the House that the government will comply fully with the Humble Address Minister for Illegal Migration of the 4th of February. Mr. speaker, in December 2024, I was in the process of appointing a new ambassador for Washington. A due diligence exercise was conducted by the Cabinet Office into Peter Mandelson suitability, including questions put to him by my staff in number

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