Oral Answers to Questions

Patrick Hurley Excerpts

Wednesday 28th January 2026 Commons Chamber

[Karin Smyth]

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to say that osteoporosis disproportionately affects women and plays a crucial part in absence from the workforce. Baroness Merron, who leads on this work, and I met Charlie Mayfield when he was looking at how to get more women back into the workforce, and we will ensure that women’s health and these sorts of long-term conditions are part of that. I cannot commit to an MSK strategy, but we are absolutely committed to including this in our renewed women’s health strategy.

[Patrick Hurley (Southport) (Lab)]

7. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce inequalities experienced by children in poverty.

[Baggy Shanker (Derby South) (Lab/Co-op)]

8. What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help reduce inequalities experienced by children in poverty.

[The Minister for Women and Equalities (Bridget Phillipson)]

Tackling child poverty is a moral mission for this Government, and someone’s background should not determine what they go on to achieve in life. I am proud that we have now published our historic child poverty strategy, which will deliver the largest reduction in child poverty within a single Parliament by scrapping the two-child limit, expanding free school meals and backing families.

[Patrick Hurley]

Earlier this week, I visited the Bishop David Sheppard school in my constituency and saw at first hand the difference that breakfast clubs are making to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Will the Minister explain how the Government’s commitment to expanding breakfast clubs will tackle child poverty and reduce inequalities across the country?

[Bridget Phillipson]

My hon. Friend is a real champion for local families, and I would be grateful if he extended my thanks to all the staff team at the Bishop David Sheppard primary school for the work that they are doing. Breakfast clubs make a huge difference to parents and children by expanding learning and giving our children a great start to the day, and this Labour Government will deliver a national roll-out of breakfast clubs across our country.