Debate on bill on Thursday, 1 May 2025, in the House of Lords, led by Baroness Smith of Malvern. The answering members were Baroness Finn and Earl of Effingham.

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Lords second reading. Agreed to on question. Lords motion that the Bill be committed to a Committee of the Whole House and instruction on order of clauses to be taken. Agreed to on question.

Secondary information

Type: Parliamentary proceeding
Reference: 845 cc1337-1448
Session: 2024-26
Department: Department for Education
Legislative stage: Second reading
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Related items: Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: HL Bill 84 of 2024–25
Thursday, 3 April 2025
Research briefings; Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2024-26. Brought from the Commons
Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Bills
House of Lords; Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill. Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee twenty-first report
Wednesday, 23 April 2025
Parliamentary committees
House of Lords; Deposited Paper DEP2025-0342
Tuesday, 3 June 2025
Deposited papers
House of Lords
Proceeding contributions: Baroness Smith of Malvern | 845 cc1338-1341 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, while I might have felt offended by the exodus of so many people at the end of Oral Que...; Earl of Effingham | 845 cc1339-1344 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I thank the Minister for the comprehensive way in which she has set out the purpose of ...; Lord Addington | 845 cc1344-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I agree with a couple of things the noble Earl, Lord Effingham, said, including that we...; Lord Bichard | 845 cc1345-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, by any measure, this is a landmark Bill and I welcome very many of its provisions. Howe...; Bishop of Manchester | 845 cc1348-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I begin by expressing my thanks to all noble Lords who have reached out to me following...; Baroness Morgan of Huyton | 845 cc1349-1350 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I draw attention to my interests as set out in the register. I just want to talk very b...; Baroness Shephard of Northwold | 845 cc1350-1 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, there is much to commend in the Bill, not least because it seeks—as did the last Govern...; Baroness Kidron | 845 cc1351-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, my remarks will focus primarily on technology in school, but I want to take this opport...; Lord Blunkett | 845 cc1352-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is a privilege to follow the noble Baroness. I offer a very warm welcome to and look...; Lord Baker of Dorking | 845 cc1353-5 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I am delighted to follow my friend, the noble Lord, Lord Blunkett. He was an outstandin...; Baroness Tyler of Enfield | 845 cc1354-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, so much to say, so little time to say it. I welcome this Bill and many of its measures,...; Baroness Morris of Yardley | 845 cc1356-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I shall restrict my comments to the clauses in the Bill on schools. By my reckoning, we...; Lord Aberdare | 845 cc1358-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I support much of the Bill but will raise some issues about the schools part of it. We ...; Baroness Morgan of Cotes | 845 cc1359-1360 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is a pleasure to speak in this debate on such important topics. I declare my interes...; Baroness Longfield | 845 cc1360-1 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is a huge pleasure to take part in this important debate, and I draw attention to my...; Lord Mohammed of Tinsley | 845 cc1361-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is with profound humility and sincere gratitude that I rise to make my maiden speech...; Lord Scriven | 845 cc1363-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is truly with joy and pleasure that I follow the speech of my noble friend Lord Moha...; 845 c1364 (Link to this contribution)
Oh!; Lord Scriven | 845 cc1364-5 (Link to this contribution)
I am used to having him behind me, heckling, but now he sits beside me in your Lordships’ House. ...; Lord Hampton | 845 cc1365-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Mohammed of Tinsley, on his excellent and inspiring...; Lord Layard | 845 cc1366-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, children’s well-being is referenced in the title of this Bill, and so it should be. Obv...; 845 cc1367-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I begin with the customary round of thanks, which I give with my whole heart. Black Rod...; Lord Hannan of Kingsclere | 845 cc1368-1370 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, what a privilege and a pleasure to follow two such outstanding maiden speeches, one fro...; Baroness Grey-Thompson | 845 cc1370-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I draw noble Lords’ attention to my entry in the register of interests: I am president ...; Lord Harris of Peckham | 845 cc1372-3 (Link to this contribution)
I thank the noble Earl, Lord Effingham, for his kind words, but it is not about me. It is because...; Baroness Blackstone | 845 cc1373-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I welcome this Bill as an important beginning to remedying a number of long-standing pr...; Lord Young of Cookham | 845 cc1374-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, when I was in the other place, I went round a primary school in Andover whose catchment...; Bishop of Derby | 845 cc1375-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I welcome this Bill and the Government’s commitment to improve children’s lives and the...; Lord Hill of Oareford | 845 cc1377-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, 15 years ago, almost to the day, I had the privilege of standing at that Dispatch Box t...; Baroness Wolf of Dulwich | 845 cc1378-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I declare an interest as deputy chair of governors at King’s College London Maths Schoo...; Lord Nash | 845 cc1379-1380 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I declare an interest as the chair of Future Academies. I strongly support the child pr...; Lord Crisp | 845 cc1380-1 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I will speak briefly and positively about good home education. I disagree with some of ...; Lord Watson of Invergowrie | 845 cc1381-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I very much welcome this Bill. It reminds me of that Frank Sinatra song about New York—...; Baroness Garden of Frognal | 845 cc1382-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, at speaker 32, it is already quite challenging to find something new to say, and my sym...; Lord Agnew of Oulton | 845 cc1384-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I refer to my interests in the register, in particular as the founder and chairman of a...; Baroness Cass | 845 cc1386-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I am pleased to take part in this important debate. I draw attention to my interests se...; Lord Frost | 845 cc1387-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is a pleasure and an honour to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Cass, who has done so...; Baroness Wilcox of Newport | 845 cc1388-9 (Link to this contribution)
I declare that I am a vice-president of the LGA.
My 35 years as a teacher, working in such ...; Lord Carlile of Berriew | 845 cc1389-1390 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I thank the Government for introducing what I hope will leave this House as an improved...; Baroness Bousted | 845 cc1390-1 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, the party opposite claims that education was transformed during its period in office an...; Baroness Berridge | 845 cc1391-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, the Bill contains a first step, possible underreach, possible overreach and, I think, a...; Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle | 845 cc1392-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I rise in the middle of a long, important and well-informed debate. I first felt it was...; Lord Lemos | 845 cc1394-5 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I declare my interest: from 2018 to 2025 I was the lead non-executive director of His M...; Lord Fink | 845 cc1395-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I refer to my entry in the register of interests, especially as a director of Ark and A...; Baroness Lister of Burtersett | 845 cc1396-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I welcome what the Secretary of State has described as
“child-centred legislation...; Baroness Wheatcroft | 845 cc1398-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, a Bill that has at its heart the aim of improving children’s well-being can only be wel...; Baroness Eaton | 845 cc1399-1400 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I declare my interests as a vice-president of the Local Government Association and as a...; Baroness Benjamin | 845 cc1400-1 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Mohammed on his passionate maiden speech; he makes ...; Lord Browne of Belmont | 845 cc1401-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I thank the Minister for the care and sensitivity that she has displayed in introducing...; Lord Moynihan | 845 cc1402-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, the Minister in her opening sentence stated that there are few subjects which unite peo...; Baroness Whitaker | 845 cc1403-5 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Moynihan. Nevertheless, this Bill is wh...; Lord Farmer | 845 cc1405-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I will focus my comments on Part 1, particularly on areas recommended or inspired by Jo...; Baroness Blower | 845 cc1406-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, there are certainly many welcome aspects of this Bill, not least the proper recognition...; Baroness Fraser of Craigmaddie | 845 cc1407-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, if the Bill is to succeed in breaking down barriers to opportunity and severing the lin...; Lord Carter of Haslemere | 845 cc1408-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I will focus on the aspects of this Bill relating to academies, and I have two points. ...; Viscount Eccles | 845 c1409 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I am not sure that I am really the right person to talk about the Bill, but I thought i...; Baroness Burt of Solihull | 845 cc1409-1410 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I declare my interest as vice-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group—I gue...; Lord Jackson of Peterborough | 845 cc1410-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, this portmanteau Bill has its strengths, which I concede and welcome, particularly on c...; Baroness Brown of Silvertown | 845 cc1412-3 (Link to this contribution)
I started my working life as a residential social worker, and I am godmother to a beautiful boy b...; Baroness McIntosh of Pickering | 845 cc1413-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I welcome the opportunity to debate the Bill. I take this opportunity to thank the Mini...; Lord Hacking | 845 cc1414-5 (Link to this contribution)
The pleasure, my Lords, in speaking quite late in a debate such as this one—I think I am listed a...; Lord Wei | 845 cc1415-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to speak today—heavy because the legislation befor...; Baroness Finlay of Llandaff | 845 cc1417-8 (Link to this contribution)
Children are the fabric of the future, to paraphrase the excellent maiden speech from the noble L...; Baroness Cash | 845 cc1418-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I declare my interests as the founder of Parent Gym and the part owner of Mind Gym. Par...; Baroness Fox of Buckley | 845 cc1419-1420 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, even though I am speaking so far down the list, I am still unsure what the purpose is o...; Lord Moynihan of Chelsea | 845 cc1420-1 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Mohammed, and my noble friend Lord Biggar on their ...; Lord O'Donnell | 845 cc1421-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, this is a really important occasion for the House of Lords, and for the world to see th...; Lord Knight of Weymouth | 845 cc1422-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I declare my education interests as set out in the register, in particular my chairmans...; Lord Young of Acton | 845 cc1423-4 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I declare my interest as a member of the Knowledge Schools Trust and a trustee of the K...; Baroness Walmsley | 845 cc1424-6 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I too congratulate my noble friend Lord Mohammed, and the noble Lord, Lord Biggar, on t...; Lord Gilbert of Panteg | 845 cc1426-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, most measures that come before your Lordships’ House are a curate’s egg: good can alway...; Baroness Young of Hornsey | 845 cc1427-8 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I welcome the Government’s intention to improve the lives of young people in the care s...; Baroness Meyer | 845 cc1428-9 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, education in this country has always been about shaping free minds and raising thoughtf...; Lord Russell of Liverpool | 845 cc1429-1430 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I declare my interests as a governor of Coram and a trustee of the Foundling Museum, bo...; Baroness Thornton | 845 cc1430-2 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, do not worry about cross-party co-operation between the noble Lord, Lord Russell, and m...; Baroness Fleet | 845 cc1432-3 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, it is an honour to speak in this debate. I declare my interest as a governor of the Sho...; Lord Hannay of Chiswick | 845 cc1433-5 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, this Bill is a complex and sensitive one which will deserve careful and detailed scruti...; Lord Storey | 845 cc1435-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I start by congratulating my noble friend Lord Mohammed of Tinsley and the noble Lord, ...; Baroness Finn | 845 cc1437-1441 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend Lord Biggar on his excellent maiden speech on the import...; Baroness Smith of Malvern | 845 cc1441-7 (Link to this contribution)
My Lords, we have had a long, interesting and well-informed debate. Given the number of noble Lor...; Baroness Smith of Malvern | 845 c1448 (Link to this contribution)
Moved by
Baroness Smith of Malvern
Notes: Welsh Legislative Consent sought.
Subjects: Children Children in care Care homes Admissions Curriculum Attendance Health Foster care Home education Qualifications Ministerial powers Protection Pupils Profits Standards Unemployment Social services Schools Teachers Special educational needs Young people Uniforms Information sharing Breakfast clubs Family hubs Kinship care
Legislation: Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill 2024-26
Link: View this Parliamentary proceeding on hansard.parliament.uk

Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

Secondary information

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