Baroness Morgan of Huyton: My Lords, I shall talk briefly about families. The role of the patient's family is crucial when trying to increase the number of organs available for transplant. As a member of the committee, I was struck when listening to the evidence by the range of organisations that felt, regardless of their position, if any, on presumed consent—the subject of current debate in the UK, as we saw in the...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: My Lords, it does not seem long since our last education Bill but this one covers some very important territory. The direction of travel is welcome and I am sure that many of us will spend many more hours considering it and getting properly into the detail. The Bill continues to push against the ceiling on expectations, about which we can never be complacent. We know what we want from our...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: My Lords, in speaking about the education section of the gracious Speech, I particularly welcome the emphasis that it placed on giving all a chance to fulfil their potential. In this context, I believe that raising the school leaving age is a symbol, offering to all that which is currently available to some. I am pleased, however, that this will be a phased-in measure, not taking full effect...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: My Lords, can the Minister confirm that a clear set of milestones has been established and that a clear set of milestones for the delivery of the authority has been laid out for the future?
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: My Lords, in welcoming the Statement as have many others in the House, perhaps I may seek a little clarity on the implementation of the Rose report. To what extent will it be directed from the centre? To what extent will its advice sit on the table? The advancement of literacy is vital for raising standards in both education and behaviour. It is particularly important to make sure that...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: My Lords, like other noble Lords I want to thank the noble Baroness, Lady Valentine, for initiating this debate and for opening it so positively that it set the tone for us today. I declare an interest as a board member of the Olympic Delivery Authority. Strong partnerships and the sort of working relationships to which the noble Baroness referred are key to delivering both a successful Games...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: My Lords, at this stage in the debate I shall be very brief. I approach any policy decision in education, at any level from early years through to higher education, from the same standpoint with the same questions. First, how will this policy increase opportunities and raise aspirations and, indeed, increase social mobility? Secondly, will there be high standards that are set properly and...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: To talk about city academies and the need for a level playing field is to approach the matter in the wrong way, because the main reason for the existence of city academies is that there is not a level playing field. City academies are being established where there is failure; they are being established where kids are not getting a fair chance of a decent education, where schools are...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: We might be getting this a bit out of proportion. My experience is that this sort of role exists now in a fair number of schools and, where it exists, is welcomed by head teachers. The advisers, who are called "mentors" or a range of other things at the moment, work best when they are people with experience, but who are a little more than just friends. Where I do not agree with the noble Lord...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: I hope that we do not accept these amendments. One of the big steps forward in the Bill is the attention that it gives to putting parents' wishes and their representations more firmly on the statute book. That is important because, as someone who has been both a provider and a receiver of state education, I feel that the danger is that parents often feel like pawns in the system and are...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: My Lords, as a former geography teacher, albeit a long time ago, I have to take issue with the noble Lord, Lord Gould, over the value of his geography O-level, although I accept that it would have been an advantage to have English and maths in addition. Like other Members of this House, I have been a teacher, I am a parent, and I have been a local councillor and a school governor. I have now...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: My Lords, this is a valuable, if short, debate. I am particularly pleased to speak after the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Liverpool, because I am very interested in the new Francis of Assisi school, to which I shall turn in a minute. I begin by asking what parents seek when they are looking for a school for their children. I think we basically agree that, ideally, we want it to be...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Baroness, Lady Shephard, for introducing this timely debate. Like many noble Lords, my continuing passion is education, both as a parent and as a former teacher. As a Member of this House, I feel that there is nothing more important for us to spend time on discussing. When we think about the future prosperity of the country, there can be no greater concern...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: My Lords, when people ask what the point of the House of Lords is, we should point to this debate and to the quality of the committee's report. Whatever the eventual outcome of our discussions—I should say that I support a change in the law—the time is clearly right for this debate. I pay tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Joffe, for bringing forward his Bill. We cannot ignore this matter...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: My Lords, having supported the Bill's development while Minister for Women, I am particularly pleased to speak in this debate, and I am delighted that the Bill is receiving its Second Reading today. As many of your Lordships are aware, selections that will be made this year could be affected by this legislation. I therefore welcome the Bill's simplicity and the speed with which it is being...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: We are learning from the experience in Northern Ireland of creating a unified single Equality Commission. It covers a range of practical and financial matters, as well as issues relating to the functions, structure, balance, focus and accountability of the commission. Further lessons will no doubt be learnt as the commission beds down. Equality and human rights issues, including the setting...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: The Government's priority is to achieve coherence and, where desirable and appropriate, consistency between the different anti-discrimination statutes in Great Britain. We also need to ensure we effectively meet our European obligations. Our actions will be focused on the steps necessary to provide individuals, business and other organisations with a clear understanding of their respective...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: The Social Exclusion Unit was set up to help improve government action to reduce social exclusion by producing "joined-up solutions to joined-up problems". The unit has published reports on five key areas: truancy and school exclusions; rough sleeping; neighbourhood renewal; teenage pregnancy; and bridging the gap: 16 to 18 year-olds not in education, training or employment. The unit was...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: My Lords, perhaps I may say first of all that I found the speech of the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Oxford on the concept of public service most thought-provoking. I shall try to cover the issues that he raised. We have had an excellent debate, as has been recognised around the House, and once again I am struck by the depth of knowledge we are fortunate to be able to draw on in this...
Baroness Morgan of Huyton: The international obligations referred to in the Written Answer of 5 July (WA 58) do include Article 4.1 of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
