Lord Storey: My Lords, I first thank noble Lords for making my entry into the House so welcoming. Indeed, the generosity of that welcome and the support from attendants and staff has been truly remarkable. I am a city councillor forged in the political council chamber of Liverpool. Coming to the House and seeing respect, reflection, support, concern and friendship is quite remarkable. I am a head teacher....
Lord Storey: I am grateful for the noble Baroness's replies but I am a little perplexed as to what further evidence is required. Does she know what that evidence is and how long the wait will be? This concerns not only parents but teachers and society as a whole.
Lord Storey: My noble friend the Minister will be aware that in deprived communities there are often children who show real talent in specialised sport, and find it very difficult to access county and team clubs because of the cost of travel and so on. Will the Minister look at ways in which we might support those young people in developing their talents further?
Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many academies offer private medical provision for their staff.
Lord Storey: My Lords, I am delighted to hear about the robust appraisal of the North Liverpool Community Justice Centre. As the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Liverpool said, the speed with which cases are handled is phenomenal, as is the high rate of guilty pleas. Another important consideration is the need to have a member of the judiciary at the heart of a deprived community, with all the...
Lord Storey: My Lords, we have heard that the Government have identified tourism as one of the five industries which will drive the UK economy. Given that next year we join the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, which will see taxation for travellers to the UK increase, and given that many of our European competitors are doing away with aviation taxation to stimulate tourism, what is our response to protecting...
Lord Storey: My Lords, I remember that when I was training to be a teacher one of my education lecturers, Mrs Mesurier, always used to say, "It is all down to good toilet training". She was absolutely right. We should never underestimate the importance of parents to the life chances of children. That is why as a society we have done so much over the years to realise that the processes, schemes and...
Lord Storey: My Lords, I was not going to speak in this debate, but so many important comments have been made that I feel that I want to add my few words. I very much agree with the noble Baroness, Lady Morris, that this is about safeguarding both the child and the teaching staff. I also agree with the noble Lord, Lord Cormack, that we need to engender trust in a school. The noble Lord, Lord Elton,...
Lord Storey: My Lords, the noble Baroness, Lady Jones, used the right words-"common sense". I cannot understand this. As a parent and as a teacher, I have no objection to same-day detentions. As has been said, if there is to be a sanction or punishment often it is best that it is done straight away. However, the notion that young people, children and students are kept behind at school without their...
Lord Storey: My Lords, this matter is very important and I very much look forward to what the Minister has to say on this. We are rightly concerned about safeguarding. All staff in schools rightly have CRB checks and the CRB register is regularly maintained. It is equally important that when a member of staff commits an act of gross misconduct which goes to the disciplinary processes and is dismissed, we...
Lord Storey: My Lords, I have said before in this House that the most important thing for a student is the quality of the teacher-not the qualifications, necessarily, but the quality. There can be the best buildings, the best resources, but unless there is quality teaching, then that child will not be able to make the progress that they deserve. If you have poor teaching and a poor teacher, that child...
Lord Storey: My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Knight, is right to remind us of the tragedy in Morecambe Bay, where 23 Chinese workers lost their lives. Does the Minister agree that IFCA needs to be robust in checking permits, that wherever possible permits should be issued to local fishermen, because that is their livelihood, and that where there is illegal fishing we should again be robust in arresting...
Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial support they have provided or will provide for the forthcoming relocation of Merseytravel's headquarters.
Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government which tram and light rail projects they have supported financially in the past five years; how much they have spent on each of those projects; how far each of those projects has been developed; and what are the plans for those projects that have yet to be completed.
Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government to what extent the North Liverpool Community Justice Centre has met its intended objectives, what plans they have for this centre, and what improvements they would envisage to this model if it were to be further replicated.
Lord Storey: I am grateful for my noble friend's reply. He will know that there is little real hard evidence of this pioneering community court's work, particularly its involvement in the community itself. What criteria will be used and will those criteria involve the community court itself?
Lord Storey: My Lords, the Minister will be aware-as the noble Baroness opposite said-that many local authorities have made disproportionate cuts when making savings, including local authorities that are run by her party. Will the Minister assure us that the Government will do all in their power to ensure that young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, will be able to access the arts?
Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration has been given to gender and ethnic balance on local enterprise partnerships.
Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether research or appraisal has been or is planned to be undertaken on the economic impact of local enterprise partnerships.
Lord Storey: My Lords, in the Arab village of Ibillin in northern Israel, students of all religions gather daily in the classrooms of Mar Elias Educational Institutions. They receive a well rounded education, but importantly, they also work together to promote peace, justice and reconciliation. MEEI was the inspiration of Father Elias Chacour who realised that the future of all God's children in the...
