Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill Report Stage: New Clause 34

What happened: On 18 March 2025, the House of Commons voted on New Clause 34 during the Report Stage of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. The clause, which proposed additional protections or services for children's welfare beyond those already included in the government's bill, was defeated by 315 votes to 77. Report Stage is the point at which MPs debate and vote on proposed changes to a bill after it has been examined in committee.

Why it matters: The defeat of New Clause 34 means the additional children's welfare provisions it proposed will not be included in the legislation as it progresses. The government's own framework for children's wellbeing and schools policy remains intact without the amendments the clause would have introduced. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill is a significant piece of legislation affecting children's services, schools, and safeguarding across England, so decisions about what is and is not included shape the practical protections available to children and the obligations placed on schools and local authorities.

The politics: The vote divided largely along government versus opposition lines. The Liberal Democrats provided the bulk of the Aye votes, with all 60 of their voting members supporting the new clause. The Greens and several independents also voted in favour. The Labour Party and its Co-operative Party allies voted overwhelmingly against, in line with the government's position, with 305 combined No votes. Notably, 7 Labour MPs broke from the government and voted Aye, representing a small but visible rebellion. The Democratic Unionist Party and Reform UK also voted No, producing an unusual alignment between those parties and the Labour government. The result reflects the government's commanding majority and its resistance to opposition attempts to expand the bill's scope beyond its existing provisions.