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Monday Volume 677 22 June 2020 No. 73 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday 22 June 2020 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2020 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 1061 22 JUNE 2020 1062 Wes Streeting: May I associate myself with the House of Commons condolences expressed by the Secretary of State to the family, friends and pupils of James Furlong? No one Monday 22 June 2020 who heard the “Today”programme interview this morning with one of his former pupils could fail to be moved. The House met at half-past Two o’clock I also express my condolences to the family of Fred Jarvis, the celebrated educationalist and trade unionist, PRAYERS who is sorely missed. The Secretary of State says that the Government will [MR SPEAKER ] in the Chair do whatever they can, which seems some way short of Virtual participation in proceedings commenced (Order, whatever it takes. The Government’s latest Social Mobility 4 June). Commission report reads like a litany of failures, with [NB: [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] references to a lack of “coherent” strategy; “mounting evidence” that welfare changes over the past 10 years BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS have put many more children into poverty; children in disadvantaged areas already facing “limited life prospects” SELECTION by the age of five; the attainment gap at 16 widening; Ordered, and further education “underfunded and undervalued”. That Iain Stewart be discharged from the Committee of I do not know whether it was incompetence or a row Selection and James Morris be added.—(Stuart Andrew.) between the Department for Education and the Treasury, but last Thursday we saw a DFE press release at half-past 6 announcing support, including for early years and post-16 Oral Answers to Questions education, and by half-past 8 we saw a support package only for schools. Is it not time for the Secretary of State to get a grip and take the action that we really need? EDUCATION The Secretary of State was asked— Mr Speaker: Order. Wewere very good at the beginning. This is important, but lots of Members want to speak, and it is not fair to take all the time. When I stand up, it Educational Disadvantage: Covid-19 means that I want to bring in the Secretary of State. Wes Streeting (Ilford North) (Lab): What steps he is taking to tackle educational disadvantage. [903509] Gavin Williamson: I would very much like to associate myself with the hon. Member’s comments about the sad Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet and Rothwell) (Con): What passing of Fred Jarvis, and I am sure all Government plans he has to provide time in schools for pupils to Members would wish to do the same. catch up on education missed as a result of the covid-19 lockdown. [903510] This is the party and the Government that are absolutely committed to closing the gap between those who are Sir George Howarth (Knowsley) (Lab): What plans most advantaged and those who are most disadvantaged. he has to help schools deliver programmes to enable That is why we are not just talking about it, like the pupils to catch up on progress lost as a result of the Labour party did—we are driving up standards in education covid-19 lockdown. [903513] and schools. That is why we are spending an extra Miriam Cates (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Con): £1 billion to raise standards and help those youngsters What support his Department will provide to pupils to who have been impacted by this. make up for time spent out of school as a result of the covid-19 lockdown. [903522] Alec Shelbrooke: I fully associate myself with my right hon. Friend’s comments about the tragic events in Lee Anderson (Ashfield) (Con): What support his Reading. He might have heard the suggestion I made Department will provide to pupils to make up for time about moving the 2021 exam season from May to spent out of school as a result of the covid-19 lockdown. July, to allow students and teachers more time in the [903528] classroom to complete the curriculum. Has he given The Secretary of State for Education (Gavin Williamson): consideration to that or to other ways of getting extra Before I begin, may I take this opportunity to express teaching time in before the exam season? my deepest condolences to the family of James Furlong and the other victims of the terrorist attack in Reading? Gavin Williamson: One key element of the £1 billion We have heard so many young people talk about the package is ensuring that children from the most amazing impact James had on their lives, the real disadvantaged backgrounds have extra support through appreciation they felt and the loss that they now feel. one-on-one tutoring and tutoring in small groups. My Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected by right hon. Friend raises an important point about providing this most terrible of tragedies. It was an appalling more teaching time. That is why we will consult Ofqual attack, and the Home Secretary will update the House on how we can move exams back, giving children extra later today. time to learn, flourish and do incredibly well. We are focused on doing whatever we can to ensure that no child falls behind as a result of coronavirus. Sir George Howarth [V]: I welcome the additional That is why this Government have announced a package £350 million announced last week for catch-up tutoring, of support worth £1 billion to tackle the impact of lost but the Secretary of State is aware that schools with teaching time due to covid-19. already badly overstretched budgets will have to find a 1063 Oral Answers 22 JUNE 2020 Oral Answers 1064 quarter of that cost. Will he give an unequivocal Rebecca Long Bailey (Salford and Eccles) (Lab): I commitment that schools, which are best placed to share the Secretary of State’s comments about James know their pupils’ needs, will be able to target those Furlong and send my condolences to his family and to funds in the most appropriate way for them? all those who were affected by the horrific events in Reading on Saturday. I also echo the comments made Gavin Williamson: I am pleased to report that Knowsley by my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford North (Wes Council has seen good sense and is working with the Streeting) about Fred Jarvis, the former general secretary Department to ensure that all schools in Knowsley are of the National Union of Teachers, who recently passed opening up, which is a welcome development. The away at the ripe old age of 95. whole purpose of our very targeted approach is that it is Last Thursday evening, the Government issued a evidence-based—we know that direct tutoring of children press release clearly stating that £700 million would be from disadvantaged backgrounds has the single biggest “shared across early years, schools and 16 to 19 providers”. impact on driving their attainment. As I am sure the right hon. Gentleman will be aware, the other element Of course, it was not the strategic national education of the package—£650 million—gives schools flexibility plan that I and many across the sector were hoping for, to look at how they can drive improvement, and I urge but it was a start none the less and I welcomed it. Less him to look at the work done by the Education Endowment than an hour later, the Government amended the press Foundation to guide how they spend that money. release: the funding was not for early years and 16 to 19; it was £650 million, not £700 million; and it would not be available until September. Now I hear that schools Miriam Cates: I welcome the Government’s £1 billion will need to find 25% of the tuition funding themselves. support package, which will be essential in helping I ask the Secretary of State: what on earth happened? children catch up on their academic education. However, our children are not just missing out academically; they are suffering emotionally. Gavin Williamson: I was getting rather optimistic that Increasingly, I am hearing from parents of children the hon. Lady would say that she believed it was safe for with autism in my constituency, who report that being children for go back to school, but she missed out away from the structure and routine of the school day is on the opportunity. The difference between our scheme having a devastating impact on their children’s behaviour and the hon. Lady’s is that ours will deliver results and and mental health. Some of those children are not make a difference. Our scheme is for £1 billion extra to being allowed back into school because of concerns go to schools and for £350 million to be targeted at about social distancing. What can my right hon. Friend children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. It do to get autistic children back to school as quickly as will close the gap in terms of attainment much more possible to ensure that this crisis does not have a permanent effectively than any of the Labour party’s proposals. It effect on their wellbeing? would be nice if the hon. Lady welcomed such proposals. Gavin Williamson: The best thing we can do for every Mr Speaker: Can I just say that it is the Opposition child is to welcome them back to school at the earliest who ask the questions, not the other way round? possible opportunity,when it is safe.