Covid-19 Update
Debate between Baroness Whitaker and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park(3 years, 4 months ago)
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Baroness Evans of Bowes Park (Con)
What I can say to the noble Baroness is that within schools, vulnerable children and those of key workers can still attend, and we intend that early years settings remain open.
Baroness Whitaker (Lab)
The rollout of the vaccines means that many people will shortly have had two jabs, which in the case of the Pfizer vaccine, at least, confers over 90% immunity against catching Covid-19 and also against transmitting it. Are such people still forbidden from seeing their children and grandchildren or from using public transport?
Baroness Evans of Bowes Park (Con)
As I mentioned in a previous answer, those who have been vaccinated still need to follow the rules, as the challenge we currently face is that we do not yet know how the vaccine impacts on transmissibility. As I mentioned, PHE is assessing the effectiveness of the vaccine in protecting against a range of outcomes, and the issues that the noble Baroness raises will be among those considered. We do not yet have the data to say to people anything other than what I have just said, which is, I am afraid, that if you have been vaccinated you need to stick by the rules.
Schools: Admissions Code
Debate between Baroness Whitaker and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
The noble Baroness can answer the question for me if she likes. As I said, we want to ensure that parents are at the heart of this process, which is why we want to ensure that adjudications are not held up by the need to consider large numbers of objections referred by interest groups. Unfortunately, because of some campaigns, parents now have to wait longer for the outcome of their appeals, and that cannot be right.
Schools: Exclusions
Debate between Baroness Whitaker and Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
My noble friend will know that head teachers do not take lightly decisions to exclude pupils. He will also be aware that school staff have an ongoing responsibility for safeguarding pupils, whether at home or at school. Where a head teacher has concerns about the welfare of a pupil, they will be working with a range of local services, such as social services and safeguarding teams or local alternative providers, to make sure that there is a safe environment for them.
Baroness Whitaker (Lab)
My Lords, what are the Government going to do about the disproportionate number of Traveller boys excluded from school?