Speeches by Brackenridge.

“I will move on to the new year 8 reading tests. I would like to hear your response to concerns from staff who work in schools who say that this would be an additional strain and burden and that it would have the unintended consequence of taking schools away from the direction of resources to build reading for pleasure.”

“Teachers are not raising concerns about being instructed, in terms of pedagogy and how to teach. That is not their concern; their concern is about the volume and how busy the curriculum is, which means that they do not have the capacity, never mind the resources. It is similar lower down, at key stage 3 and in primary …”

“I agree. The absence of a community pharmacy leaves a vacuum on the high street that is felt by residents. I am sure that Members across this Chamber will appreciate that factor as well. Some 1.6 million people walk through a pharmacy door in England every day; they are embedded in our communities. That is why I welcom…”

“I will ask a few questions around school curriculum and assessment. There may be a little bit of a pushback with some of the statements that you made earlier, but I just want to check: Minister, you made the point that you thought that reading for pleasure was well embedded, but we have heard evidence from teachers tha…”

“I extend my sincere gratitude and congratulations; 75 years working in a pharmacy is incredible. At the other end of the scale from Sadie, my very first Saturday job was in pharmacies in Wednesfield and Willenhall in my constituency. I also extend my thanks to the pharmacies, dispensers, frontline shop staff and delive…”

“I extend my sincere gratitude and congratulations; 75 years working in a pharmacy is incredible. At the other end of the scale from Sadie, my very first Saturday job was in pharmacies in Wednesfield and Willenhall in my constituency. I also extend my thanks to the pharmacies, dispensers, frontline shop staff and delive…”

“Thank you, Jenny. Good luck.”

“I would ask that you follow that up with them.”

“In the new strategy on public libraries, which is due to be published later this year, will there be a specific focus on reading for pleasure?”

“My question is about public libraries. I must declare that I am a real champion for my local libraries in Wolverhampton and Willenhall. They have really dedicated and skilled staff, which is vital. How is the Department for Education working with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and other relevant Department…”

“I really welcome your comments on ensuring that there is a lasting legacy to this National Year of Reading, and that engagement does not drop off. I hear what you have said about working with partners, looking at the school curriculum and supporting families as well, so thank you.”

“I agree. The absence of a community pharmacy leaves a vacuum on the high street that is felt by residents. I am sure that Members across this Chamber will appreciate that factor as well. Some 1.6 million people walk through a pharmacy door in England every day; they are embedded in our communities. That is why I welcom…”

“Given the lack of time remaining in this debate, I will focus my remarks on the long-overdue move to a much-welcomed single patient record. Many Members will have had constituents get in touch with casework, raising blunders and delays that stem from fragmented patient records. When they have been in severe pain or at …”

“Will the Leader of the House join me in recognising the remarkable work of the Susan Vickers Foundation? Its care-experienced team is changing the lives of care-experienced families, including by providing free rail travel and cinema access, thanks to partnership with London Northwestern Railway, West Midlands Railway …”

“Parents, grandparents and carers will know that keeping children busy during the summer can feel like an expensive endurance event. Will the Chancellor assess the economic and social value of the great British summer package of savings, particularly its impact on opening up access to museums, cinemas, libraries, sports…”

“I represent a constituency built around steel and manufacturing that is now home to Tata Steel’s processing and distribution centre, the largest in the UK. In Wolverhampton and Willenhall, steel is our history and our identity. With the actions taken by this Government, I sincerely believe it will continue to be our fu…”

“Thank you, Rebecca: you have addressed a question that I had for later, which is about some of the hardships faced by authors from diverse backgrounds, and from disadvantaged backgrounds. Joelle, could you share your experience?”

“The Merky Books New Writers’ Prize aims to support young and under-represented writers. What impact has the prize had? Are there are any challenges that they face in that work?”

“The Committee has heard evidence of the importance of diversity and representation. What are booksellers and publishers doing to ensure that children have a choice of books? I am going to use the term that Meryl used: books that speak to them. I love that.”

“Meryl, I have an additional question for you. We have heard that bookshops tend to highlight the same authors, rather than promoting a range of diverse texts. Do you agree that that is a problem? What can be done to improve things?”