A Westminster Hall debate on government support for disadvantaged communities is scheduled for Wednesday 4 June 2025 at 9:30am. The debate will be led by Sureena Brackenridge MP.

A Westminster Hall debate on government support for disadvantaged communities is scheduled for Wednesday 4 June 2025 at 9:30am. The debate will be led by Sureena Brackenridge MP.

Second reading. Amendment negatived on division (70 to 312). Main question agreed to on division (317 to 55). Programme motion on proceedings in Public Bill Committee, Consideration and Third Reading and other proceedings. Agreed to on question. Money resolution. King's recommendation signified. Agreed to on question.

Second reading. Amendment negatived on division (70 to 312). Main question agreed to on division (317 to 55). Programme motion on proceedings in Public Bill Committee, Consideration and Third Reading and other proceedings. Agreed to on question. Money resolution. King's recommendation signified. Agreed to on question.

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, who has been listening attentively to my speech so far.

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, who has been listening attentively to my speech so far.

I am worried that I might damn the right hon. Gentleman with faint praise because when he cited the numbers from when he was the Minister, one of the determinants of his success was the involvement of trade unions in the sector skills council and the partnership. While we have...

I am worried that I might damn the right hon. Gentleman with faint praise because when he cited the numbers from when he was the Minister, one of the determinants of his success was the involvement of trade unions in the sector skills council and the partnership. While we have...

I am immensely flattered that the hon. Gentleman has followed my career with such assiduity. He is right: I defended Unionlearn and would continue to do so. Trade unions can play a vital part in ensuring the outcomes that the Government say that they seek and that I certainly believe...

I am immensely flattered that the hon. Gentleman has followed my career with such assiduity. He is right: I defended Unionlearn and would continue to do so. Trade unions can play a vital part in ensuring the outcomes that the Government say that they seek and that I certainly believe...

Conservative Members are making quite the noise about IfATE’s independence, but I remind the House that this is a precedented move. The Conservative Government established the Standards and Testing Agency, which is currently the Executive agency and was formerly a non-departmental body. That is exactly the same status as IfATE,...

Conservative Members are making quite the noise about IfATE’s independence, but I remind the House that this is a precedented move. The Conservative Government established the Standards and Testing Agency, which is currently the Executive agency and was formerly a non-departmental body. That is exactly the same status as IfATE,...

As I say, I am not an unbridled advocate of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, which the Bill abolishes. I did not set it up during my stewardship. As I have already described, I would have preferred a different, guild-based model. Guilds would, by their nature, have been...

As I say, I am not an unbridled advocate of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, which the Bill abolishes. I did not set it up during my stewardship. As I have already described, I would have preferred a different, guild-based model. Guilds would, by their nature, have been...

In rising to support the Bill, I want to say, without heaping too much praise on the right hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Sir John Hayes), that it is a pleasure to follow him and many of the comments he made. Like him, I have arrived at...

In rising to support the Bill, I want to say, without heaping too much praise on the right hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Sir John Hayes), that it is a pleasure to follow him and many of the comments he made. Like him, I have arrived at...

Which hoops is the hon. Gentleman looking forward to the removal of?

Which hoops is the hon. Gentleman looking forward to the removal of?

I think the best people to answer that would be the employers who, time and again, have been telling us—and, I am pretty sure, telling the right hon. Gentleman and his colleagues—about the pure bureaucracy and complexity of the system that has been set up. They are the best advocates...

I think the best people to answer that would be the employers who, time and again, have been telling us—and, I am pretty sure, telling the right hon. Gentleman and his colleagues—about the pure bureaucracy and complexity of the system that has been set up. They are the best advocates...

The Bill is a crucial first step in the reform of the Government’s skills system. This Government are changing the narrative around skills. When I was younger, apprenticeships were often seen as something for working-class kids and a route into traditional trades such as plumbing, bricklaying—like my dad—hairdressing or being...

The Bill is a crucial first step in the reform of the Government’s skills system. This Government are changing the narrative around skills. When I was younger, apprenticeships were often seen as something for working-class kids and a route into traditional trades such as plumbing, bricklaying—like my dad—hairdressing or being...

I and all my hon. Friends were elected last year on a simple promise: change. It was a promise to rebuild our country, economy, health service and infrastructure, and to lay the foundations for a brighter future where we will overcome the challenges of climate change, see the benefits of...

I and all my hon. Friends were elected last year on a simple promise: change. It was a promise to rebuild our country, economy, health service and infrastructure, and to lay the foundations for a brighter future where we will overcome the challenges of climate change, see the benefits of...

I am pleased to see that we have some young people observing us today. Before coming to this place, I worked in research and development, leading a team of talented young engineers who were creating and realising new technologies to tackle the climate crisis. Some of those team members were...

I am pleased to see that we have some young people observing us today. Before coming to this place, I worked in research and development, leading a team of talented young engineers who were creating and realising new technologies to tackle the climate crisis. Some of those team members were...

It is an honour to follow such a passionate speech about apprenticeships from my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Tom Collins). I was going to thank the right hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Sir John Hayes) for raising John Ruskin and William Morris in the Chamber—I...

It is an honour to follow such a passionate speech about apprenticeships from my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Tom Collins). I was going to thank the right hon. Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Sir John Hayes) for raising John Ruskin and William Morris in the Chamber—I...

Hey!

Hey!

It is nice to have some—to have some more would be quite good.

Whereas we have had William Morris and John Ruskin, some colleagues seem to have been getting speechwriting advice from Lewis Carroll, because some of the speeches from Opposition Members have been through the looking glass in their description...

It is nice to have some—to have some more would be quite good.

Whereas we have had William Morris and John Ruskin, some colleagues seem to have been getting speechwriting advice from Lewis Carroll, because some of the speeches from Opposition Members have been through the looking glass in their description...

My driving focus as the MP for Hertford and Stortford is to make our community an even better place to live, work and learn. I am delighted to speak in this debate today, and I have no doubt that the Bill will allow us to harness the talents of our...

My driving focus as the MP for Hertford and Stortford is to make our community an even better place to live, work and learn. I am delighted to speak in this debate today, and I have no doubt that the Bill will allow us to harness the talents of our...

The Bill constitutes a significant step towards streamlining and strengthening our technical education and apprenticeship system, and, as someone who worked in the apprenticeships sector in different roles, I am a big fan. So many of us have seen at first hand how apprenticeships transform lives—how they build dignity in...

The Bill constitutes a significant step towards streamlining and strengthening our technical education and apprenticeship system, and, as someone who worked in the apprenticeships sector in different roles, I am a big fan. So many of us have seen at first hand how apprenticeships transform lives—how they build dignity in...