Speeches by Swallow.

“That is really important and we see the crisis that is affecting all of our young people, but in particular that the statistics are very alarming for boys. To go back to what we can do to encourage more boys to read for pleasure, Luke, you have already outlined some possible measures. Is there anything else you want to…”

“Ellen, I know you mentioned confidence being important in your opening remarks. Is there anything you could add there on that connection?”

“Your think-tank has particularly highlighted reading mentors in schools as one intervention. Have you found that that helps reading for pleasure as well as reading attainment?”

“That is really important and we see the crisis that is affecting all of our young people, but in particular that the statistics are very alarming for boys. To go back to what we can do to encourage more boys to read for pleasure, Luke, you have already outlined some possible measures. Is there anything else you want to…”

“Where I would slightly push back on some of the fantastic contributions we have heard today is on the idea that having a diverse range of reading material, including reading material that speaks to the identities of white working-class boys and their aspirations, is the goal element in and of itself. Reading is about s…”

“Your think-tank has particularly highlighted reading mentors in schools as one intervention. Have you found that that helps reading for pleasure as well as reading attainment?”

“T9. The International Road Assessment Programme, based in Bracknell, has saved well over half a million lives from road crashes around the world, which is a significant contribution to the UN’s sustainable development goals and a real success story of British expertise on the global stage. What can this Government do t…”

“I declare an interest: I am chair of the all-party group on schools, learning and assessment, and we are conducting an inquiry on votes at 16 to see what support young people will need to make the most of the vote, when they get it. The most important thing that young people are telling us is that they are concerned th…”

“I agree with my hon. Friend’s argument. I am a member of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, and a representative from Meta spoke to the Committee just last week. I was very concerned about their answers when probed on the work that needs to be done to protect social media sites from foreign interference. Does he shar…”

“Last week, I dropped into the Wayz youth centre in Bracknell to celebrate its 60th anniversary—that is, 60 years of supporting young people in Bracknell Forest, developing their skills and helping them find and use their voice. This Government are backing the youth centre with our national youth strategy, which young p…”

“7. What steps her Department is taking to help improve outcomes for young people in Bracknell Forest.”

“Oh no it didn’t!”

“T7. The national youth strategy offers us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to improve access to youth services for young people in Bracknell Forest and across the country. What discussions has the Minister had with colleagues in the Ministry of Defence to tie the strategy together with the strategic defence review’s …”

“8. What assessment the Church has made of the potential merits of issuing a formal apology to mothers and adoptees affected by the Church’s involvement in historical forced adoptions.”

“On Tuesday, the Education Committee held a public evidence session on historical forced adoptions and heard how, over many decades, unmarried mothers were shamed and coerced into giving up their babies for adoption—a practice driven by the policies of the state and delivered by charities and religious organisations, in…”

“On the last day before the February recess, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government released a consultation on regional strategic planning, including proposed maps for regions where a mayoral strategic authority has not already been established. I am extremely concerned that that amounts to imposing a…”

“T9. I am delighted that two mental health support teams are already at work in Bracknell Forest, supporting almost four-fifths of local pupils with timely, targeted mental health support. There is a lot more to do to fix the child and adolescent mental health services system, but could the Minister set out how school-b…”

“I will turn to that apology now, because that was one of the recommendations of the report, saying that there are some things that only a Government can do. Following the call for that formal apology, the then Conservative Government in 2023 said that issuing an apology would not be appropriate, as “the state did not a…”

“The assessment that it would not be appropriate because the state did not support these practices.”

“I also sit on the Joint Committee on Human Rights, although I was not a member when it published its report in 2022. I want to turn to that now. What progress have the Government made in implementing the Committee’s recommendations? In particular, recommendations were made on access to adoption records, the sharing of …”