Business of the House
Rosie Wrighting Excerpts(4 weeks ago)
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Sir Alan Campbell
The hon. Gentleman is right to express concern about the SEND system. The Government have acknowledged that it is broken; it does not work for parents or children. He is also right to say that there were signs that things were not as they should be, but this is one of the many issues that, when we came into government, we discovered was even worse than we had anticipated. I will not comment on what might or might not be in the Budget, but I gently point out that we have already invested an additional £1 billion in SEND and we are creating more specialist places in mainstream schools, with an additional £740 million on top of the £1 billion.
We will bring forward the schools White Paper early next year, and the hon. Gentleman may wish to keep some of his suggestions for that, or perhaps secure a debate on it in order to give further clarity to what he is saying. I know that this issue is frustrating, including for our constituents, but we need to work with parents and teachers, and the most important thing is that we get it right.
Rosie Wrighting (Kettering) (Lab)
On that note, the number of constituents who have contacted me since my election to raise difficulties and delays in the SEND system is staggering. I asked constituents to fill in my online SEND survey so that they could feed into the Government’s schools White Paper, and I have had 250 responses, which shows the extent of the problem. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking those parents in Kettering and across the country who are feeding in their experiences to this Government’s mission to fix the broken system we inherited?
Sir Alan Campbell
I am very pleased to do that. I thank everyone who has responded to my hon. Friend’s survey. That is one of the very best ways of getting information from parents, and the scale of the responses demonstrates the scale of the problems in the system. I pay tribute to her for the work that she has done on this issue. As I said, we are committed to creating a SEND system that truly works for children and parents, and I am sure that her constituents’ comments will be reflected as the White Paper comes forward.
Business of the House
Rosie Wrighting Excerpts(3 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Lucy Powell
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising that issue. We have seen Members of this House from the Reform party going around the world savaging our rights to free speech in this country, yet the councils they run are not prepared to answer questions on free speech. They are blocking local newspapers from scrutinising their work and, as the hon. Gentleman says, they are not opening themselves up to freedom of information requests. I will ensure he gets a ministerial response.
Rosie Wrighting (Kettering) (Lab)
Over the summer recess, I volunteered with the junior Parkrun in Desborough. It was fantastic to see children excited about exercise, and to be there to celebrate Rose and Luna getting their half-marathon wristbands. I was especially struck by the dedication of the volunteers who make it possible every week in Desborough and Kettering and across the whole country. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking Parkrun volunteers around the country, and provide time for a debate on community-led initiatives that promote physical activity?
Business of the House
Rosie Wrighting Excerpts(10 months, 1 week ago)
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Lucy Powell
Let me take this opportunity to thank the right hon. Gentleman for all his tireless campaigning on these matters, on which he has worked with his constituent and others over many years. I will absolutely ensure that the House is updated on the Hughes report and issues relating to sodium valproate, and I will ensure that it covers the position UK-wide, and that there is co-ordination. I will get back to the right hon. Gentleman on that.
Rosie Wrighting (Kettering) (Lab)
In the 1950s, Kettering had five cinemas, but since the Odeon closed its doors last week, we have none. Our swimming pool was built in 1984 and is in desperate need of investment, while our art gallery and museum have both been closed for some time. Constituencies like Kettering have been hit hard by the Conservatives’ cultural vandalism, and my constituents are missing out as a result. Will the Leader of the House grant time for a debate on the huge importance of access to local culture and sport?
Lucy Powell
My hon. Friend is right: access to culture and sport is at the heart of thriving communities and happy places and people, and I am sorry to hear about what is happening in Kettering. As she will know, we have a manifesto commitment to replace the community right to bid with a strengthened right to buy assets of community value, and I think that would help in cases such as this. The subject of access to local culture and sport is raised with me regularly during business questions, and although the Backbench Business Committee’s time is oversubscribed, I think this would make an extremely good subject for a Backbench Business debate.
Business of the House
Rosie Wrighting Excerpts(1 year, 4 months ago)
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Lucy Powell
The hon. Lady raises an important matter. She will know that this Government are unashamedly pro house building, but that is not a free pass for developers. We want to see local plans that are developed locally, that are holistic and strategic, and that consider all issues—not just housing, but the infra- structure that sits alongside it. It is local plans designed by local people that we want to see sped up, and hopefully that will resolve some of the issues with the stench that she has in her constituency.
Rosie Wrighting (Kettering) (Lab)
I welcome the Leader of the House to her place. I recently visited Kettering General hospital and had the privilege of meeting the staff there. During my visit, I was informed that the maternity ward has RAAC and that patients who give birth have to be transported outside to another wing of the hospital. Will she make time for a debate on RAAC in public sector buildings?
Lucy Powell
As we have just heard, this is an important issue for a number of colleagues across the House. We are extremely concerned about the dire state of the NHS estate. RAAC is at the top of the priorities of the Department of Health and Social Care. My hon. Friend will be aware that once the presence of RAAC is confirmed at a hospital site, it joins NHS England’s national RAAC programme, which has a considerable pot of money. I will ensure that she gets an update on her hospital and that this House is updated on RAAC in NHS hospitals in general.