Results 1-20 of 639 for in the 'Commons debates' OR in the 'Westminster Hall debates' OR in the 'Lords debates' OR in the 'Northern Ireland Assembly debates' speaker:Lord Northbourne

Queen’s Speech — Debate (4th Day) (14 May 2013)

Lord Northbourne: My Lords, as my contribution is relatively brief, perhaps I may take half a minute to say how much I agree with the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, who, alas, is not in his place at the moment, on the importance of early years—the first two years of a child’s life—and the influence that that can have on the whole of the rest of the child’s life. It will also become apparent...

Children and Young People — Question (23 January 2013)

Lord Northbourne: Does the Minister agree that damaged children who have been passed from pillar to post in the care system often have a desperate need for secure attachment to one or more adults who care not only for them but about them? Are local authorities implementing their obligations under the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 and, in doing so, are they paying sufficient attention to a troubled child's...

Education: School Leavers — Question (16 January 2013)

Lord Northbourne: My Lords, I wish to ask the noble Baroness whether the Government have a policy on helping young people in secondary schools to learn about and to acquire what used to be called the soft skills. By those, I mean interpersonal skills, including relationships skills, self-confidence, leadership, teamwork, communication skills and many others, all of which are very important both in the...

Procedure of the House — Motion to Agree (9 January 2013)

Lord Northbourne: My Lords, I will speak just for a moment from the point of view of a Back-Bencher on the Cross Benches without political commitment. Many noble Lords in my position-other colleagues, although perhaps not all-believe that the best way that we can serve the House is to have a specialist interest which we take a deep concern in and spend a great deal of time studying and following. Mine happens...

Equal Marriage Consultation — Statement (11 December 2012)

Lord Northbourne: My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that a very significant element in marriage concerns children? Will she give an assurance that the position of adopted children in single-sex marriages will not be changed for either better or worse by a partnership entering into a civil marriage?

Schools: Parenthood Education — Question (13 November 2012)

Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that secondary school children learn about responsibilities of parenthood.

Schools: Parenthood Education — Question (13 November 2012)

Lord Northbourne: I am most grateful to the noble Lord for that Answer. However, is the Minister aware-I am sure he is-that Ofsted's recent reports show that in many, if not most, secondary schools, PSHE is taught, if at all, by teachers with little interest and no training in the subject? Will the Government take action to ensure that the nation's secondary schools do more to warn young people about the...

Schools: Parenthood Education — Question (13 November 2012)

Lord Northbourne: That figure includes primary schools.

Education: Early Years — Motion to Take Note (8 November 2012)

Lord Northbourne: My Lords, the noble Baronesses, Lady Benjamin and Lady Walmsley, have already referred to the recent neurological research, which has taught us that the later months of pregnancy and the first two to two and a half years of a child's life are crucial to that child's future. During this period, up to 80% of a child's brain development may take place. Both this Government and their predecessor...

Education: Development of Excellence — Motion to Take Note (18 October 2012)

Lord Northbourne: My Lords, you must be weary. I shall make only one short but important point. I want to draw attention to an area of education in which I believe there is a serious and lamentable lack of excellence in our education system today. Ofsted tells us that in most of our secondary schools personal, social, health and economic education is being badly taught or not taught at all. Ofsted reports tell...

Riots, Communities and Victims Panel — Question (16 October 2012)

Lord Northbourne: Is the noble Baroness satisfied that maintained secondary schools-and all secondary schools-are doing as much as should be done to stimulate character and resilience in pupils, which they have the opportunity to do when the pupils are at school?

Child Development — Debate (11 October 2012)

Lord Northbourne: My Lords, I, too, am most grateful to the right reverend Prelate for introducing this important debate and for giving us such a broad canvas on which to explore the enormously important issue of child development. It is a time-limited debate and I, like the rest of your Lordships, must stick to only one aspect of this very important problem. Speaker after speaker today has referred to the...

Media Oversight: Transfer of Responsibilities — Question (5 July 2012)

Lord Northbourne: My Lords, can the Minister give us any encouragement to believe that an element of social responsibility will be part of the work of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in being responsible for the media?

Young People: Parenthood — Question (27 June 2012)

Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are satisfied that all young people, both girls and boys, when they leave secondary schools in England or Wales understand what their responsibilities will be if they become parents.

Young People: Parenthood — Question (27 June 2012)

Lord Northbourne: My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that amount of comfort, but does he not agree that responsibility for the quality of parenting in our society is basically shared between the parents of the child and the state in its various forms and through its various agencies? It is essential that parents should understand the responsibilities for which they are responsible. The obvious place...

Schools: Parenting Skills — Question (17 May 2012)

Lord Northbourne: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to implement the recommendation of the Independent Review on Poverty and Life Chances that parenting and the responsibilities of parenthood should be taught in all secondary schools.

Schools: Parenting Skills — Question (17 May 2012)

Lord Northbourne: I am most grateful to the noble Lord for that Answer. However, I cannot help wondering whether the Government take this issue sufficiently seriously. Are they aware of the number of children who arrive in school at five years old damaged by a lack of appropriate parenting-sometimes almost by a lack of parenting at all? Do the Government realise the extent to which this damages and will...

Queen's Speech — Debate (4th Day) (15 May 2012)

Lord Northbourne: I am most grateful to the noble Earl for giving way. Does he agree that a considerable number of children's homes do not fit the description he has given, and that their qualified staff look after the children extremely well?

Health and Social Care Bill — Report (1st Day) (Continued) (8 February 2012)

Lord Northbourne: My Lords, I intervene briefly to support the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, because I believe that there will be real problems. The immense complexity of the Bill will lead to tremendous delays and a great deal of misunderstanding among people who feel, rightly or wrongly, that they have failed to get the service or treatment to which they are entitled. I hope the Minister can say something...

Health and Social Care Bill: Report (1st Day) (8 February 2012)

Lord Northbourne: I wonder whether the noble Lord could clarify a point for me. In his Amendment 62 he speaks of the "healthcare workforce", whereas the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay, in her amendment talks of "healthcare professionals". Are these identical groups of people? I am particularly interested in whether nursing staff are included in one or both of those terms.