Speeches by Voaden.

“Prior to 16, do you think that young people are being given enough of a sales pitch, if you like, about the advantages of going down the apprenticeship route rather than the academic route when they leave school? There is a need for apprenticeships given that we want to create growth, build 1.5 million houses, repair a…”

“I would like to move on and talk about post-16 pathways. Witnesses to our further education and skills inquiry have been clear that those students who are following vocational pathways lack the guidance, clarity and esteem enjoyed by those following academic pathways. The Edge Foundation found that careers education in…”

“While your interim report says the “Knowledge-rich” curriculum is producing good outcomes, we know that teachers’ organisations have described it as excessive, content-heavy and overfilled. When I speak to key stage 1 teachers particularly, they say there needs to be more time in the school day for the youngest childre…”

“You may not be able to answer this yet, but have you identified any specific subjects where there is a consensus that the content should be reduced to allow for deeper learning?”

“You were talking about not wanting to have a qualification that is too low.”

“I am not necessarily talking about—”

“Looking at the early years, the very beginning of school, are you taking any evidence from countries where formal learning starts later? Given the mental health crisis we have, the massive rise in children with special educational needs, and the fact that more and more are not school-ready, are you considering a softer…”

“Sorry, I am one of the few in the room who is not an ex-teacher. I meant reception.”

“I am a bit confused by this, because if you have a significant number of kids, be it 25% or 30%, who are not securing GCSE English and maths, despite doing it over and over again—we all know how demotivating it is to repeatedly fail at something you are trying to do—I cannot understand the resistance to having a lower-…”

“Okay.”

“I welcome the Minister’s statement, and it is good that Devon made it on to the map—just. Many on the Liberal Democrat Benches and others across the House travel from Paddington down to the far south-west, and we have spoken with your Department about the effects of the Old Oak Common works on that line. Can the Minist…”

“One of the vulnerabilities that we saw in the pandemic, after the invasion of Ukraine and even during the “beast from the east” winter storm was to food supplies, but I did not hear the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster refer to food in his statement. Finland’s national food supply can sustain the country for up to …”

“Does the hon. Member agree that there is an opportunity here to do something transformational for our local communities by enabling funds, particularly local government pension funds, to invest in much-needed infrastructure like care homes, special schools or even our high streets, which would provide a secure long-ter…”

“I really welcome this 10-year plan, especially the shift from hospital to community. I am excited by the digital transformation, and I hope it works in the broadband blackspots of South Devon. I will ask the Secretary of State about the shift from sickness to prevention. Will he tell the House what conversations he has…”

“The national funding formula has been criticised for failing to adequately reflect the needs of pupils with SEND, and it contributes to significant funding disparities between areas. In Devon a child who receives a high needs funding block will get £1,245. In Camden that same child would get £3,565. Effectively, that c…”

“I have a supplementary, if I may. Shifting focus slightly, we know that the Government are extending a profit cap to private provision in the children’s social care sector. I would like to know, given all the funding challenges you are facing, whether you are going to extend the profit cap to cover the private provisio…”

“To be a bit more specific, do you accept that it is unfair that a child in Devon on a high needs block gets three times less money than a child in Camden? Do you accept that there is an unfairness in that allocation of resources?”

“Can I ask for a quick yes or no on this one? Are you looking at making the national funding formula fairer across the country?”

“Okay. I will move on. Given the importance of early intervention for children with SEND, what assessment has the Department made of the merits of prioritising a greater proportion of high needs block towards funding early years provision?”

“Does my hon. Friend agree that these changes risk devastating consequences for people living with complex mental health conditions? They may not score four points on a single activity, but experience persistent moderate challenges across many areas, and this could in fact lead to financial hardship and worsening mental…”