Speeches by Phillipson.

“We continue to keep these matters under review. We are looking carefully at the Law Commission’s report into marriage published in 2022 and we will respond in due course.”

“The hon. Lady raises an important issue. We need to ensure there is diversity in representation at all levels in sport. I am happy to look further into the issues she has raised.”

“I agree with my hon. Friend that it is disgraceful that the attainment gap rose under the last Government, and I will not rest until we deliver for kids from communities like ours. I agree that it is not good enough that only one in five disadvantaged white British boys achieve grade 5 or above in maths and English at …”

“I agree with my hon. Friend that no young person should be held back by their background or expected to work for free. We remain committed to banning unpaid internships, so that young people are paid fairly. We will set out further details in due course.”

“The previous Government’s scope was narrow. We are taking action to give all providers the assurances that they need that single-sex spaces can be provided. I have met representatives from the EHRC to discuss that point and I have written to the EHRC about it. I will take no lectures from the Conservatives on single-se…”

“I join my hon. Friend in commending that work. I know the Tyne Valley line very well; it is in a beautiful part of the country. It is important that the rail network is accessible for all passengers, and that is at the heart of our approach. I will ensure Ministers at the Department for Transport look into the case tha…”

“I agree with my hon. Friend about the importance of the issue she identifies. I will ensure that the relevant Minister picks up on the point and ensures that electoral administrators are aware of their responsibilities.”

“We remain steadfast in our support for all LGBT people. It is essential that they are safe, included and protected from discrimination.”

“This month we celebrate LGBT History Month. LGBT individuals have shaped Britain’s history and continue to contribute greatly to our society. We are also celebrating Race Equality Week. We are committed to raising everyone’s living standards by putting more money into people’s pockets through measures such as ethnicity…”

“My hon. Friend mentions a vital area. There is an important role for youth services as part of this, but we also need to do much more around safeguarding. The provisions in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill on multi-agency child protection measures and much more besides, and the additional investment that we ar…”

“I appreciate the hon. Lady’s interest in this area. She will know that the proposed exascale supercomputer is one programme that the Government are considering. We are currently assessing the best way to take this forward. The previous programme was announced under the last Government, for which full funding was not al…”

“The Labour Government are at the forefront of change and, as I said to the Bett conference last week, we are determined to ensure that “AI will be a positive, radical, modernising force for good in the lives of working people.” The Department for Education is a member of the AI working group collaborating across Govern…”

“I agree that phones have no place in the classroom. It is entirely right that schools take firm action to stop their use, and I know that is what the vast majority of schools already do. As the right hon. Lady said, last July the Conservatives said that they did not need to legislate in this area. Nothing has changed i…”

“I do accept the absolutely essential role of phonics—it was a Labour Government who first started the roll-out of phonics in 2006. We need all our children to reach a brilliant standard in reading, but as I have just said, one in four currently do not meet the required standard. There is so much more that we need to do…”

“My hon. Friend is absolutely right about the power of reading. We all know that reading broadens horizons and nurtures creativity, and I want more children to experience that joy, although sadly, we also know that more and more children in our country are not enjoying reading for pleasure. Under the Tories, one in four…”

“Getting more children reading for pleasure is a key part of our plan for change, and of our work to drive high and rising standards across education by giving all our children the best start in life. Earlier this month, I was pleased to join the Prime Minister as he unveiled a landmark partnership between schools here …”

“I recognise the challenging context that many schools experience after 14 years under the Conservatives. At the Budget, notwithstanding the severe challenges that we face, the Chancellor prioritised key education areas, including making sure that we could deliver on that 5.5% pay award for teachers that the last Govern…”

“My hon. Friend brings real expertise to this matter from her experience in education. We are reviewing the relationship, sex and health education guidance to ensure that schools are able to teach what children need to know in the modern world. Our school staff have a crucial role to play in tackling this issue as well.”

“The hon. Lady is absolutely right. Far too often our staff have had to focus on maintenance and buildings rather than driving up standards in our schools. The Conservatives talk about their record, but their record was children cowering under steel props because of the RAAC crisis that they left behind.”

“Parents who choose to home educate their children are within their rights to do so. Those who provide a safe, loving environment and a good standard of education have nothing to be concerned about in the legislation. We are concerned about the growing number of children of whom we simply have no visibility. The Bill wi…”