Lynne Neagle: ...we had was that the draft Bill didn’t do enough to actually tie in the health service. We all know from our own casework that that is absolutely fundamental—the connection between health and education. I just wanted to ask what assurances you could give that that would be addressed in the forthcoming legislation.
Lynne Neagle: The UK Independence Party are notoriously allergic to facts and expert opinion. So, let’s give UKIP a few facts on grammar schools. Firstly, grammar schools do not promote social mobility. They didn’t in the 1950s and they don’t now. The Institute of Education has shown that social division, as measured by wages, is greater in selective areas of England than in comprehensive areas....
Lynne Neagle: Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for her statement today and also add my thanks to Sir Ian and his team for his report? I’m really looking forward to them coming to the Children, Young People and Education Committee on the twelfth for us to discuss it in detail. I think that there is a great deal to welcome in this report. Particularly, I welcome the fact that it has so clearly taken on...
Lynne Neagle: ...the programme now—how exactly the Welsh Government is monitoring this and also monitoring any regional variations? At the Samaritans’ impact launch yesterday, we learnt about their pilot schools programme, DEAL, delivering emotional awareness and listening in schools, which is a way of trying to improve the support that's available to young people in a school setting, and I welcome the...
Lynne Neagle: ...how you will prioritise targeting our most needy local authorities. The announcement last week that the Welsh Government is minded to phase out Communities First, and the apparent quiet ending of Schools Challenge Cymru in yesterday’s budget, does, however, make me worry that the Welsh Government is beginning to dilute its commitment to target resources at those communities most in need...
Lynne Neagle: ...people who do not usually get their voices heard. I believe there is good practice we can draw on here, and I hope that the Commission will look at this. As part of the Children, Young People and Education Committee’s inquiry into youth services in Wales, I learnt about a project run by the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of Wales called Not the Usual Suspects, which is designed to engage...
Lynne Neagle: ...Secretary for her statement today? In particular, I very much welcome what you’ve said about making funding available to encourage and support the development of federations across all maintained schools, along with better information and guidance. I think that is very important. You’re aware of my concerns on this issue. I was also very interested in what you said about the...
Lynne Neagle: ...moved to respond to the recommendations, and would like to place on record my thanks to Professor Diamond and his team, not just for his work, but also for attending the Children, Young People and Education Committee to give evidence recently. I just have a few questions. You indicated that you would be going out to consultation. Can you say a little bit more about how that will work, and...
Lynne Neagle: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I am pleased to contribute to this debate today on this LCM, and to outline the views of the Children, Young People and Education Committee. Members will see from our report that the committee supports the approach set out in the LCM, and agrees that it is appropriate to deal with these provisions in the Children and Social Work Bill. The amendment to the...
Lynne Neagle: ...with me last week with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and Diabetes UK and for listening to the concerns about the need to include a duty to meet the medical needs of children in school in this Bill. Can you update us on what your current thinking is on that?
Lynne Neagle: ...course now, being mindful of the advice that’s been given by the OECD that we need to hold our nerve and pursue the reforms that are in train. You referred in your statement to the importance of school leadership. Can I just ask what you plan to do, going forward, to give additional support to existing and inspiring headteachers in Wales?
Lynne Neagle: ...contrasts. While the NHS in England struggles to soak up the consequences of starving social care, we in Wales invest in social care and commit an extra £0.25 billion to the NHS. While the English school system fragments into academies, free schools and now grammar schools, with all the waste that that entails, we keep our nerve and will continue to invest in school standards and school...
Lynne Neagle: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer and former Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee. [Laughter.] And what a fine job she did of it, as well. Thank you for your statement, Minister. I was so pleased to see this Bill introduced yesterday, and I think the exchanges here today demonstrate the almost unprecedented level, really, of cross-party support that there is for...
Lynne Neagle: Thank you for taking the intervention. There is a report, it just hasn’t been published yet. Will you acknowledge that whatever the challenges we face, your solution of reintroducing grammar schools in Wales is simply going to make matters worse?
Lynne Neagle: Thank you, First Minister. I’m sure that you’ll be aware of my concern that the decision was taken to end Schools Challenge Cymru in the draft budget, and that this decision was taken before the Welsh Government received the evaluation of the scheme. And it’s clear that lots of areas have seen very significant benefits through the programme, but it is also clear that there’s more work...
Lynne Neagle: 4. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on post-16 education provision in Torfaen? OAQ(5)0073(EDU)
Lynne Neagle: Thank you, Minister. You’ll be aware of unique challenges faced by young people in north Torfaen, who’ve had no access to post-16 education locally since 2008, with some young people having to try to access sixth forms at other schools or many having to take a long bus journey to Crosskeys college, which is two bus rides there and two bus rides back every day. As you’ve highlighted,...
Lynne Neagle: ...were only using it to travel locally, which, for 16 and 17-year-olds, I don’t think should be particularly surprising. My concern is that young people will be prevented from having access to education, training and youth services. I hear what you’re saying about working with local authorities and the confederation of bus transport, but it is very much my experience locally that bus...
Lynne Neagle: Thank you, Llywydd. I welcome this opportunity to update Members on the work of the Children, Young People and Education Committee. As Chair of the committee, I am delighted by the progress made in scrutinising key areas of policy and legislation over such a short period of time.
Lynne Neagle: ...organisations and individuals from across Wales. This led to the committee embarking on two inquiries that stakeholders had identified: statutory advocacy services for children and young people and educational outcomes for Gypsy/Traveller and minority ethnic learners. We have finished taking evidence on both of these subjects and will be reporting soon. Looking further ahead and more...
