Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Michelle Donelan Excerpts
Monday 14th May 2018

(5 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Nadhim Zahawi Portrait Nadhim Zahawi
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Kinship carers actually have access to benefit entitlements in the same way as birth parents.

Michelle Donelan Portrait Michelle Donelan (Chippenham) (Con)
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On Friday night, I held a crime forum in Corsham, and outreach to carers and parents by schools was regularly discussed. Corsham high school already employs a person to do this outreach, and a lot of charities also work in this space. Are there any plans by the Government to review support and to share best practice, which can encourage social mobility?

Nadhim Zahawi Portrait Nadhim Zahawi
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As part of our social mobility action plan, we are looking at all these issues. I would be very happy to discuss them with my hon. Friend.

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Damian Hinds Portrait Damian Hinds
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The schools Minister and I will be delighted to meet the hon. Lady.

Michelle Donelan Portrait Michelle Donelan (Chippenham) (Con)
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Has the Minister given any further consideration to my call for a review of the pupil premium to ensure it is an even more effective tool for fostering social mobility?

Damian Hinds Portrait Damian Hinds
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The pupil premium is a really important structural tool to make sure that funding is skewed towards those who need it most. We keep it under review, taking advice from the Education Endowment Foundation, and I promise my hon. Friend that we will continue to do so.