Education Recovery

Lord Tomlinson Excerpts

Monday 7th June 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Berridge (Con)]

My Lords, my noble friend is correct. We have now had three reports from the government-sponsored research by Renaissance Learning and EPI in relation to disadvantaged children falling behind. In addition to the summer schools that I have outlined, it seems that the majority of secondary schools have bid to do summer school for their incoming year 7. The holiday activities fund has now been rolled out across all local authorities so that children can get the balance of nutrition, activity and some education.

[Lord Tomlinson (Lab)]

Does the Minister accept that Sir Kevan Collins made a fundamental error of judgment when he accepted the appointment as commissioner for education recovery? His fundamental error of judgment was that he believed that the Prime Minister’s definition of priority for education recovery was in the same ballpark as his own, and in that he found he was sadly mistaken.

[Baroness Berridge (Con)]

My Lords, I can only repeat our thanks for the work that Sir Kevan Collins has done. Much of what the noble Lord outlines is a question for Sir Kevan himself. However, as I said, more than £3 billion is being invested in recovery. The subject of further recovery money will be part of the spending review. It is important that we follow the evidence from the research I outlined in terms of areas of the country that have had a differential impact. For instance, SEN children and disadvantaged children seem to have been impacted most.

Brexit: Trade Agreements

Lord Tomlinson Excerpts

Wednesday 17th January 2018 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Fairhead]

I am focused on the continuity of the ones that we have and on building working relationships with the countries that we can have trading relationships with in the future. The EU now has a number of trading relationships through both traditional free trade agreements and EPAs, where the focus is much more on development. We in the UK have long been supporters of a very strong and open pro-trade agenda.

[Lord Tomlinson (Lab)]

My Lords, if the Minister has set her face so clearly on continuity of purpose in this regard, why are the Government so content to rip up so many of the agreements that serve us well at present?

[Baroness Fairhead]

The referendum decision was to leave the EU, and as we leave the EU, we will no longer be party to those agreements. We have to get that continuity so that we have security for our businesses.