Speeches by Charalambous.

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Mundell. I thank the hon. Member for Chichester (Jess Brown-Fuller) for securing this timely debate and for her excellent speech, much of which I agreed with. I declare an interest as chair of the APPG on music education. I will therefore focus on the provision of musi…”

“I think Westminster Hall would be fine on that Thursday, if that were a possibility, but I leave it in your hands. I appreciate that there are other debates, but to hold the debate as close as possible to the day would be my preference.”

“It would probably be FCDO, because of the development links, as it is linked to SDG4.”

“This is an application for a debate on the UN International Day of Education, which is actually on 24 January. That is not a sitting Friday, but we would like it to be as close as possible to that date, so the preference would be for the Thursday. We have cross-party support on this. The Members who have signed it are …”

“There is interest, and I will get back to them and make sure that they do take part. This is not just people who have a development interest. It is also an opportunity for anyone who has an interest in education to highlight things that are happening in their local areas.”

“I think three hours would be a push, but we will do our best.”

“I begin by thanking all the teachers, support staff and senior leaders in my constituency of Southgate and Wood Green, and across the country, for their hard work ensuring that our children receive the high quality education they deserve. Teachers’ pay, their workload and the environment in which they work have been hi…”

“13. What steps she is taking to improve teacher recruitment and retention.”

“I am sure, with the Chair’s indulgence, it is something that we will look into.”

“Lucy, you have alluded to this in your previous answers. The arrangements for proxy voting were introduced for serious long-term illness and injury as a pilot scheme in October ’22, and they remained in force until the end of the last Parliament. They have now been reinstated on a temporary basis. Our predecessor Commi…”

“You talked about people who have an illness but are still on the estate. In the past, we used to have the nodding-through process, whereby if you agreed with the other Whips that the person was on the estate but not well enough to—”

“On the first issue about baby loss and maternity leave—that was the first iteration and it seems to be working. The serious illness or injury one—that is a bit more problematic. Do you think it is the standing orders, or is it the operation of the scheme?”

“I remember a time when Tulip Siddiq, I think, had recently given birth. She was unwell and she had to be wheeled in to vote in a wheelchair. I think it was on a Brexit vote.”

“4. What assessment he has made of the impact of the autumn Budget 2024 on Northern Ireland.”

“One of the central aspects of the reconciliation process arising from the Good Friday agreement is the need to facilitate and encourage integrated education, so will the Secretary of State join me in welcoming the continued support for integrated education in the autumn Budget?”

“I want to make a declaration of interest before we conclude. I was a member of the CPA executive. I believe my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton and Winchmore Hill also wants to say something. I apologise for my lateness today.”

“I beg to move, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to make provision for or in connection with the relief of debts of certain developing countries. Debt remains a huge cause of concern for low-income countries in the wake of the covid pandemic and following rising inflation on food and fuel. Thirty-four African coun…”

“For some low-income countries, one of the biggest factors is debt through private creditors, which I think is greater than the other debt that a lot of those countries owe. Does the hon. Lady agree that the matter of debt owed to private creditors must also be addressed to tackle the need for more funding for climate e…”

“My hon. Friend is right. There is a special need for prisoners to receive support. Keeping IPP prisoners incarcerated for longer than they should be is adding further pressure on our already overcrowded prison population. In a recent written response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool Riverside …”

“I beg to move, That this House has considered imprisonment for public protection sentences. It is pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Vaz. Imprisonment for public protection sentences, which were introduced in 2005 by the Criminal Justice Act 2003, are cruel, unjust and damaging to those who are still serving…”