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  • Steve Barclay – 2022 Comments on Workforce Disruption

    Steve Barclay – 2022 Comments on Workforce Disruption

    The comments made by Steve Barclay, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on 3 January 2022.

    As people return to work following the Christmas break, the high transmissibility levels of Omicron mean business and public services will face disruption in the coming weeks, particularly from higher than normal staff absence.

    We have been working through the Christmas period to prepare where possible for this, with all departments liaising closely with public and private sector leaders who are best placed to operationally manage their workforces.

    The best way to combat Omicron is to get boosted and I encourage anyone who is eligible to get boosted now.

  • Nadhim Zahawi – 2018 Comments on Supporting Children with SEND

    Nadhim Zahawi – 2018 Comments on Supporting Children with SEND

    The comments made by Nadhim Zahawi, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, on 29 March 2018.

    We want every child to have the support they need to unlock their potential, whatever their background and no matter what challenges they face. Our new Education, Health and Care Plans are putting the views of young people with special educational needs and disabilities and their families at the heart of the process so they can help shape the support they receive.

    It’s been a huge task to transfer every young person to one of these plans but local authorities have risen to the challenge with almost 222,000 cases reviewed and I congratulate them for it. We are now working with councils to make sure they carry out the remaining reviews and the new EHC plans are of the highest quality.

    To complement this work we are also opening new special free schools across the country that will provide tailored support for over a thousand children to ensure they have access to the excellent education that every child deserves.

  • Nadhim Zahawi – 2018 Comments on Improving Children’s Services

    Nadhim Zahawi – 2018 Comments on Improving Children’s Services

    The comments made by Nadhim Zahawi, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, on 15 March 2018.

    Social workers do an incredible job providing some of our most vulnerable children in our society with life-changing care and support.

    This investment for our Partners in Practice Programme will help the fantastic work councils are doing to deliver high-quality services and make a real difference to children’s lives.

    I am also pleased to support the Local Government Association to drive good leadership, which is crucial if we want to support and encourage frontline staff to deliver excellent care for children and young people.

  • Nadhim Zahawi – 2018 Comments on Tackling Child Abuse

    Nadhim Zahawi – 2018 Comments on Tackling Child Abuse

    The comments made by Nadhim Zahawi, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, on 5 March 2018.

    We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the social workers and other professionals who support the most vulnerable in our society, especially those who have been victims of abuse.

    The response to this consultation shows the strength of feeling among the sector on this extremely important issue, and it’s vital that we work directly with people on the ground, supporting them to carry out their work sensitively and efficiently.

    Decisions we make as a government should be with the ambition of improving outcomes for as many in society as possible, which is why we must listen to the views and experience of the sector as we progress further with our reform agenda.

  • Nadhim Zahawi – 2018 Comments on Support for Disadvantaged Students

    Nadhim Zahawi – 2018 Comments on Support for Disadvantaged Students

    The comments made by Nadhim Zahawi, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, on 7 February 2018.

    Academic standards are rising, with 1.9 million more children now in ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ schools than in 2010 and 9 out of 10 schools given this rating at their latest inspection.

    It is right that we must continue to offer the most disadvantaged young people additional help and I am pleased that, following public consultations, we can extend free school meals and the free early education entitlement for disadvantaged two-year-olds.

    Tens of thousands more children will be entitled to free school meals by 2022 compared to the previous benefits system.

    I’d like to thank everyone who responded to these consultations; their views will help to ensure every child can access a world-class education and the support reaches those that need it most.

  • Nadhim Zahawi – 2018 Comments on an Independent Review into Foster Care

    Nadhim Zahawi – 2018 Comments on an Independent Review into Foster Care

    The comments made by Nadhim Zahawi, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, on 6 February 2018.

    We welcome this thorough and insightful report into the fostering system, which first and foremost is about identifying and addressing the needs of children in foster care.

    The report gives us an opportunity to celebrate foster care and to recognise the invaluable role foster parents play in the lives of vulnerable children. We are committed to supporting them in this role, and that’s why we recently announced that we will extend our 30-hour childcare offer to foster children to provide extra help for foster parents.

    We will carefully consider the review’s recommendations, alongside those from the Education Select Committee, over the coming months to determine how they can help us to make sustainable improvements to the fostering system and to the outcomes for looked after children.

  • Nadhim Zahawi – 2022 Comments on Bringing Children Back to Classrooms

    Nadhim Zahawi – 2022 Comments on Bringing Children Back to Classrooms

    The comments made by Nadhim Zahawi, the Secretary of State for Education, on 2 January 2022.

    Being in the classroom is undoubtedly the very best place for children and I’m looking forward to welcoming pupils back next week to continue their face-to-face learning, which is so important for their education and wellbeing.

    There is no doubt that the Omicron variant presents challenges but the entire education sector has responded with a Herculean effort, and for that I thank each and every one of you.

    The Prime Minister and I have been clear that education is our number one priority. These measures will bolster our support schools as we do everything in our power to minimise disruption.

  • Sajid Javid – 2022 Comments on 132 Million Vaccines in 2021

    Sajid Javid – 2022 Comments on 132 Million Vaccines in 2021

    The comments made by Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on 2 January 2022.

    The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the biggest challenges our health service has ever faced and our historic vaccination programme has been vital in helping us step up to meet this challenge.

    132 million vaccinations in a single year is astounding and a true reflection of the fantastic work of our NHS and its volunteers – I want to thank each and every one of them.

    But we need to make sure people continue to come forward for their life saving jab. As we go into the New Year, make sure you Get Boosted Now to kick off 2022 with the best possible protection from Omicron.

  • David Lammy – 2022 Comments on New Beacon Bookshop

    David Lammy – 2022 Comments on New Beacon Bookshop

    The comments made by David Lammy, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, on 1 January 2022.

    This New Year let’s save New Beacon Bookshop. The UK’s first specialist black bookshop, it would be a tragedy if it had to close after 55 years. A loss not just for the black community but our countries collective history. Independent bookshops are vital.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2022 Statement on Murder of Teenagers in London

    Sadiq Khan – 2022 Statement on Murder of Teenagers in London

    The statement made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 1 January 2022.

    I am truly devastated by the deaths of a 15-year-old boy in Croydon and a 16-year-old boy in Hillingdon. Senseless violence has once again resulted in the loss of two young men with their lives in front of them and my thoughts and prayers are with the victims’ families, friends and communities at this awful time.

    I continue to remain in close contact with the Met Police who are doing everything possible to bring those responsible for these killings to justice. Anyone with information should contact the police or Crimestoppers anonymously. There is absolutely no honour in staying silent.

    The safety of Londoners will always be my number one priority. That is why I’m determined to continue leading from the front by being tough on crime – investing record amounts in policing to put more officers on the streets – and tough on its complex causes, with plans in place to deliver positive opportunities to almost 100,000 young Londoners over the course of the next year, helping to divert them away from violence by providing them with tailored support at key moments in their lives.

    Since before the pandemic, the level of knife crime and youth violence in London has been decreasing meaning fewer violent attacks, fewer victims in hospital and fewer young offenders. Sadly, due to the increasing ferocity of the attacks, this hasn’t yet translated to fewer teenage homicides. I refuse to accept that the loss of young lives is inevitable and will continue to be relentless in taking the bold action needed to put an end to violence in our city.