Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Noah Law Excerpts
Monday 2nd March 2026

(1 day, 8 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Bridget Phillipson Portrait Bridget Phillipson
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We have launched that consultation. I am clear that phones have no place in our schools, and schools should enforce that policy and ensure that it is being followed.

The hon. Gentleman asked a serious and reasonable question about some of the challenges that we see when children arrive at primary school. That is why through our Best Start family hubs and the National Year of Reading, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure that more parents and children are more supported. All of us as parents have to lead by example in that regard.

Noah Law Portrait Noah Law (St Austell and Newquay) (Lab)
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12. What steps she has taken to roll out Best Start free breakfast clubs.

Olivia Bailey Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Olivia Bailey)
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Every primary school in England will have a free breakfast club by the end of this Parliament, giving children a healthy breakfast and a great soft start to the day and improving attainment and attendance. Another 2,000 schools will open free breakfast clubs this year, including Pondhu primary school in my hon. Friend’s constituency.

Noah Law Portrait Noah Law
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I am delighted that Pondhu primary school in my constituency has been a trailblazer for not just our Government’s free breakfast clubs scheme, but investment in school nurseries, which has been a resounding success. What assessment has the Minister made of the positive impacts of our free breakfast clubs programme on children and their families?

Olivia Bailey Portrait Olivia Bailey
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It was a pleasure to spend time with my hon. Friend in his constituency recently, where he and I both enjoyed a range of activities with the brilliant Pinky, including our enthusiastic attempts at axe chopping. I know that my hon. Friend has worked really hard to support and encourage schools in his constituency to participate in our school-based nurseries and breakfast clubs programmes, and I thank him for that. In the south-west, we have opened 30 school-based nurseries and nearly 100 breakfast clubs, supporting thousands of children in St Austell and beyond to get the very best start in life.