Speeches by McKinnell.

“That is helpful to know. That is really helpful. I was going to ask, “When is it going to be published?” The hub opened and closed. We want to be reassured that we are approaching this in the most effective way possible. Having an out-of-date playbook that refers to a hub that was closed two years ago does not give tha…”

“That is really helpful.”

“There are some concerns about the playbook. The document refers to the hub a number of times, even though the hub was abolished coming up to two years ago. It is clearly not up to date. For that reason, it cannot be as useful as it should be. Why is it taking so long to get it updated?”

“Thank you—that is really helpful. I guess the question is what you do with those insights. Have you identified key risks as a result of them? How do you use the information?”

“I want to talk about the long-term trend analysis. This is probably a question for you, Andrew. Could you talk us through what the long-term analysis that you have included in the Whole of Government Accounts report is showing?”

“I guess the question is whether you are confident. There seems to be an acceptance that this is a useful function, so clarification that this is going to continue would be helpful. Also, are you confident that the necessary action or change or behaviour learnings will be taken from these insights, and it is not just a …”

“So the answer to looking at other avenues of funding is no.”

“On that basis, are you confident that things should stay as they are and continue steady as they go, or should you be considering other means of paying for and funding the public service pension liabilities?”

“On public service pensions and the unfunded sector, what is your view on the affordability?”

“That is helpful—thank you.”

“It is very helpful, but it also raises the question why climate risks have not been integrated into the 15-year analysis in the most recent accounts. Can you explain that?”

“That is helpful, thank you. Particularly for those post-16, but for all children and families who engage with the system, is it easy enough to navigate at the moment? Is there more the Government could do to support with that?”

“I also want to declare what you might call an interest, having been the Minister for School Standards up until September this year with responsibility for this policy area. What you are saying about the work that you are doing to bring down those costs is really interesting. From your perspective, to what extent is the…”

“The transport element will become a statutory entitlement, presumably, if the breakfast club is an entitlement.”

“I had just one final question, which is about breakfast clubs, which we know are a key part of the child poverty strategy and also generally improving school outcomes. At the moment, the home to school travel policy does not cover breakfast clubs as a requirement. We know that low-income families are the ones who will …”

“Will that eventually become a statutory entitlement?”

“In terms of evaluating what the new world will look like, as the previous panel spoke with great hope about, are you confident that you have sufficient data to understand the impact to take us from the current situation and the home to school transport policy, both in terms of costs and impact, to the new system once t…”

“Is the current system doing all that it should to support and promote school attendance?”

“Is the current home to school transport system helping lower-income families to be able to exercise school choice in the same way that those who might have their own transport are able to?”

“I declared to the previous panel that, up until September this year, I was the Minister for School Standards with responsibility for this policy area. Thanks very much for being here today. The NAO report has shown, among other things, that the non-compulsory use of school transport budgets—those children over 16 who m…”