Jess Phillips: I am saying exactly that. Who knows how long someone might be out of employment? Their child would lose their place for the second half of the week. People need time to go and find a job. When me and my children were in that situation, I was working three voluntary jobs to gain experience so that after my second son was born, I was able to get a full-time job. So yes, I am saying that it is...
Jess Phillips: And how long is that grace period? I put that question to the Minister.
Jess Phillips: I am grateful for that clarification. From that, I read that there will be a three-month grace period, if it is quarterly. I totally understand that and it is great if someone can find a job within three months. Obviously, if they do not find a job in that time—for example, if they find one within four months—they would then have to find another place for their child separate from the 15...
Jess Phillips: I wonder whether those training to be nurses, who are working now for free in our NHS, will be entitled to the 30 hours of free childcare if they are in full-time nursing training.
Jess Phillips: A grace period.
Jess Phillips: Will the hon. Lady give way?
Jess Phillips: My hon. Friend is making a very powerful speech. My mother-in-law is in this category—she was not told. She left her job at what she expected to be a pensionable age, but has been left waiting a further three years before she can receive her pension. Does my hon. Friend agree that the Government have put nothing in place to support those older women back into work?
Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2015 to Question 15419, and with reference to the Answer of 20 March 2015 to Question 227869, how many planning areas in England are in need of additional primary school places by September 2016; how many such areas have never had an application to open a primary or all-through mainstream free school; and how...
Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2015 to Question 15418, and with reference to the Answer of 20 March 2015 to Question 227869, how many planning areas in England are in need of additional secondary school places by September 2016; how many such areas have never had an application to open a secondary or all-through mainstream free school; and...
Jess Phillips: Does the Minister recognise that a mother’s education is the single biggest factor in how well her children go on to achieve? As we are focusing on children’s attainment, does he agree that helping women in education to access this childcare provision would be a step towards one of his three aims?
Jess Phillips: Is there anything to stop private providers just setting off a block of time within their timetable and saying that the free hours can be claimed in that time? That was certainly my experience of what happened under the 15-hour provision. They could say, “You can use your free hours only between nine and five.”
Jess Phillips: And private providers.
Jess Phillips: Speaking as quite a sharp-elbowed mum of children with SEN, I did not know that any of what the Minister read out existed, so it is clearly not working. My children have been through all sorts of different provision. Wanting this is a bit like Miss World wanting world peace. If the Government actually want it, why do we not do something about it?
Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2014 to Question 17343, what free schools her Department funded for 2014-15; how many children were enrolled at each such school in the autumn term 2014; and for how many children each such school received funding for the academic year 2014-15.
Jess Phillips: My hon. Friend is making a powerful speech, and I wanted to share my thoughts as someone whose son’s life, and whose own life, was saved by a student midwife. Does he agree that making those people not just work for free but even pay to save the lives of people like me and my son, is simply despicable?
Jess Phillips: rose—
Jess Phillips: I wonder whether the Minister can clarify whether people will be paid for doing that apprenticeship and, if so, at what rates they would be paid. He rightly referred to getting mature students with families into work, so will he also say whether that cohort will fall foul of the rule that people must be doing 16 hours of work, and not be in training, to receive the Government’s 30 hours of...
Jess Phillips: Successive Governments have failed to build anywhere near enough houses. The Government’s current Housing and Planning Bill at least tries to deal with some of that fallout. However, as with so many of their current policies, we are expecting those with the least resource to pay for our mistakes. The spare room subsidy was the first assault on the most vulnerable people to right that wrong....
Jess Phillips: I lived on in-work benefits. The delightful feeling of being lifted out of welfare benefits never fed my children. Does my hon. Friend agree?
Jess Phillips: indicated dissent.