To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what involvement his Department has had in developing the Every Child a Reader initiative; and if he will make a statement;

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what involvement his Department has had in developing the Every Child a Reader initiative; and if he will make a statement;

(2) which public bodies are involved in the Every Child a Reader initiative;

(2) which public bodies are involved in the Every Child a Reader initiative;

(3) what the average cost per child was of using personalised reading recovery to bring the relevant children up to the national average literacy level in 2005-06.

(3) what the average cost per child was of using personalised reading recovery to bring the relevant children up to the national average literacy level in 2005-06.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the reading recovery programme.

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on the reading recovery programme.

Mr. Bayley, I am only three yards away from the hon. Lady, who is making a compelling case. However, I am finding it difficult to concentrate because of the hammering and burrowing on the outer wall. Might something be done about it, at least for future debates? I should like...

Mr. Bayley, I am only three yards away from the hon. Lady, who is making a compelling case. However, I am finding it difficult to concentrate because of the hammering and burrowing on the outer wall. Might something be done about it, at least for future debates? I should like...

Thank you, Mr. Bayley. I just thought that even more people were trying to get in to listen to our debate.

Thank you, Mr. Bayley. I just thought that even more people were trying to get in to listen to our debate.

I am pleased to speak under your chairmanship, Mr. Bayley, during the closing part of this discussion. I congratulate the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on securing this debate. We have heard in some powerful contributions that we feel strongly about this issue on both sides of the...

I am pleased to speak under your chairmanship, Mr. Bayley, during the closing part of this discussion. I congratulate the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on securing this debate. We have heard in some powerful contributions that we feel strongly about this issue on both sides of the...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that clarification. We both illustrated that there is a big gap in articulation levels and that is probably set very early by what children hear from their parents. I am reminded of my A-level history lessons on the counter-reformation and Ignatius Loyola, founder of...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that clarification. We both illustrated that there is a big gap in articulation levels and that is probably set very early by what children hear from their parents. I am reminded of my A-level history lessons on the counter-reformation and Ignatius Loyola, founder of...

I cannot say that I disagree with anything that the hon. Gentleman has said, but would it not be more complete to ask the Minister for a whole strategy, including tackling communication problems pre-school, as well as picking up the pieces when people have fallen through the gap, but keeping...

I cannot say that I disagree with anything that the hon. Gentleman has said, but would it not be more complete to ask the Minister for a whole strategy, including tackling communication problems pre-school, as well as picking up the pieces when people have fallen through the gap, but keeping...

I should be delighted; I know that the hon. Lady has a long-standing interest in the matter.

I should be delighted; I know that the hon. Lady has a long-standing interest in the matter.

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

In my city of Nottingham last year, nearly one in eight 11-year-olds were unable to read the first lesson at secondary school. That is one of the main causes of educational underachievement, exclusions, low attainment, truancy and poor results, yet that social blindness is a wholly preventable disease. The consequences...

In my city of Nottingham last year, nearly one in eight 11-year-olds were unable to read the first lesson at secondary school. That is one of the main causes of educational underachievement, exclusions, low attainment, truancy and poor results, yet that social blindness is a wholly preventable disease. The consequences...

I said that children in a family on benefits might hear 12 million words. The middle range for children in working class families is 30 million. Interaction and articulation in families on benefits is far less.

I said that children in a family on benefits might hear 12 million words. The middle range for children in working class families is 30 million. Interaction and articulation in families on benefits is far less.

It is a pleasure to speak under your chairmanship, Mr. O’Hara. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on securing this debate on a subject that is crucial not only to my constituency, but nationally. Initially, I want to say a little about where I...

It is a pleasure to speak under your chairmanship, Mr. O’Hara. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on securing this debate on a subject that is crucial not only to my constituency, but nationally. Initially, I want to say a little about where I...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on securing this debate and the ecumenical way in which he spoke—the seating arrangements this morning are also ecumenical. He mentioned deprivation and the effect that low literacy and numeracy standards can have on trapping people in the deprived circumstances...

I congratulate the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on securing this debate and the ecumenical way in which he spoke—the seating arrangements this morning are also ecumenical. He mentioned deprivation and the effect that low literacy and numeracy standards can have on trapping people in the deprived circumstances...

The hon. Lady has hit on a serious and important point. All too often we are considering remedies—putting things right instead of getting them right in the first place, and instead of setting up a continual strategy to ensure that children achieve. Wherever we look in social policy we can...

The hon. Lady has hit on a serious and important point. All too often we are considering remedies—putting things right instead of getting them right in the first place, and instead of setting up a continual strategy to ensure that children achieve. Wherever we look in social policy we can...

I am grateful to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) for raising this important issue. He spoke with a great deal of passion and conviction. I am sure that those of us who regard these matters enthusiastically are not unique; there are many others outside this place who...

I am grateful to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) for raising this important issue. He spoke with a great deal of passion and conviction. I am sure that those of us who regard these matters enthusiastically are not unique; there are many others outside this place who...

Thank you, Mr. Bayley. Sure Start can make a valuable contribution to the improvement of literacy skills. There is a local example in Westminster. The Westminster Children’s Society Sure Start programme involves the local library in its work to improve literacy skills from a very early age. The society runs...

Thank you, Mr. Bayley. Sure Start can make a valuable contribution to the improvement of literacy skills. There is a local example in Westminster. The Westminster Children’s Society Sure Start programme involves the local library in its work to improve literacy skills from a very early age. The society runs...

I welcome you to the Chair, Mr. Bayley. You managed to sneak in some way through the debate, and you are very welcome. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on securing this debate. It is clear from his speech that he cares deeply about...

I welcome you to the Chair, Mr. Bayley. You managed to sneak in some way through the debate, and you are very welcome. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on securing this debate. It is clear from his speech that he cares deeply about...

That is my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West.

That is my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West.