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Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life 2025-07-16
16 July 2025
Lead MP
Stephen Morgan
Debate Type
General Debate
Tags
NHSTaxation
Other Contributors: 43
At a Glance
Stephen Morgan raised concerns about giving every child the best start in life 2025-07-16 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
The Government aims to break down barriers to opportunity for children and young people, restore hope to communities after Conservative rule. The Labour Party prioritises early years development as crucial for a fairer society, with over £1 billion investment in the next three years to improve quality, accessibility and affordability of childcare and family services. The 30-hour funded childcare initiative is set to start from September, saving eligible families an average of £7,500 per year.
Will Forster
Lib Dem
Woking
Asked about the impact of local government reorganisation on the roll-out of family hubs and how the plan will be implemented over the next few years.
Neil O’Brien
Con
Harborough, Oadby and Wigston
Everyone wants to give children the best start in life. The Conservative Government increased spending per pupil in schools by 11% in real terms during the last Parliament and doubled real-terms spending on early years free entitlement. They pushed through difficult reforms, including a knowledge-rich curriculum, stronger accountability, and academies revolution. Between 2009 and 2022, England’s performance improved significantly in international student assessment league tables for maths and science compared to Wales under Labour. The Government's achievements cannot be explained by poverty rates or ethnicity but rather due to reforms. The IFS highlighted the divergence between England and Wales as a result of reforms not undertaken because of trade union pressure.
Chris Vince
Lab/Co-op
Harlow
Criticised Conservative's lack of attendance in debate, specifically regarding the absence of Reform MPs. Questioned whether restricting curriculum breadth was responsible for climbing up international league tables and questioned the impact on students' overall opportunities.
Darren Paffey
Lab
Southampton Itchen
Agreed that measuring progress in key subjects is crucial but suggested climbing up international league tables was caused by restricting curriculum breadth, potentially harming children's overall learning experiences over recent years.
Asks Helen Hayes if they agree with supporting children in care, minimizing disruption to their lives, citing that over 15,000 children moved homes and nearly 5,500 changed schools in the 2023-24 period.
Helen Hayes
Lab
Dulwich and West Norwood
Responds to Iqbal Mohamed by agreeing that the current system needs investment and support for children in care. She also emphasises the need for better early help services, creating a national offer for care leavers, improving mental health support, addressing barriers to fostering, and investing more into preventive services.
Helen Hayes
Lab
Dewsbury
Agrees with the need for greater enforcement powers and scrutiny of the Child Maintenance Service. Highlights disparities in life expectancy due to poverty. Emphasises the importance of clear targets and accountability in the Government's child poverty strategy. Welcomes the Government's focus on children but calls for more action.
Shockat Adam
Ind
Leicester South
Questions whether a legally binding poverty reduction target scheme could be put in place, similar to Scotland’s model. Cites examples of life expectancy disparities due to poverty and supports the idea of clear targets for measuring progress.
Twickenham
Welcomes Best Start family hubs but calls for proper resourcing. Raises concerns about insufficient funding for childcare provision. Emphasises the need to strengthen the early years foundation framework and improve guidance on keeping babies safe in early years settings. Supports doubling statutory maternity and paternity pay, increasing paternity leave, and granting statutory paid leave for kinship carers. Calls for restoring full £5,000 grant funding for vulnerable children's therapy sessions.
David Williams
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent North
Emphasises the importance of early childhood development and criticises Conservative cuts to local services. Outlines Labour's plans for family hubs, free school meals extension, and school-based nurseries to support children in poverty.
Adam Jogee
Lab
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Calls on Staffordshire county council to deliver essential youth services as discussed with his colleague David Williams.
Leigh Ingham
Lab
Stafford
Highlights the importance of youth services and citizenship education for young people in Stafford, Eccleshall and surrounding areas.
Danny Kruger
Con
East Wiltshire
Argues that families and communities are key to supporting children's development, advocating for a place-based model of support involving local charities and community organisations.
Abtisam Mohamed
Lab
Sheffield Central
The Sure Start programme lifts up families and supports parents and children’s development through early years provision. Early years support cuts since 2010 have led to school achievement gaps, health inequalities, and lost potential. Investment in existing family hubs is crucial for tackling child poverty and ensuring every child can thrive.
Tiverton and Minehead
The plight of Tiverton high school highlights the need for investment in schools to provide a conducive learning environment. The school's dilapidated condition, with asbestos-ridden sports hall and flood risks, undermines children’s education prospects and well-being.
Josh Newbury
Lab
Cannock Chase
Every child should have the same sense of possibility and support to thrive regardless of background. Best Start family hubs provide essential support for families, including early education, parenting advice, and mental health support. The increasing demand on local authority care services highlights the need for foster-to-adopt solutions to ensure stable homes for vulnerable children.
Iqbal Mohamed
Ind
Dewsbury and Batley
Welcomed Government investment but highlighted the need for more holistic support including reviewing maternity services, investing in maternal care, ensuring universal high-quality childcare from parental leave to school start, rebuilding family hubs, addressing child poverty, tackling mental health crises with in-school support teams, strengthening pupil premium and expanding free school meals.
Allison Gardner
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent South
Committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity for children through Labour's plan for change. Noted the importance of supporting Stoke-on-Trent in tackling childhood development, health and wellbeing issues. Highlighted the need to address child poverty and improve early years development.
Adam Jogee
Lab
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Agreed with David Williams, noting that industrial heartlands like Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent have been neglected. Stressed the need for a joined-up approach to address child poverty from early years through higher education.
Newton Abbot
Acknowledged the complexities highlighted by David Williams, praising government efforts in expanding the early years offer and Best Start family hubs. Committed to addressing the issues in Stoke-on-Trent South through further investment.
Chris Bloore
Lab
Redditch
Commended the Government's expansion of breakfast clubs and best start family hubs, highlighting their impact on early support and child development. Emphasised the need for a level playing field from the start and criticised the two-child limit policy.
Gareth Snell
Lab Co-op
Stoke-on-Trent Central
He commended his colleague's commitment to improving children's lives. He discussed his visits to primary schools, declaring that councils should work constructively with the Department for Education to ensure promised schools open on time. He mentioned Stoke-on-Trent's poor ranking in key stage 2 attainment and criticised the previous Government's failure to reduce the attainment gap.
Alex Mayer
Lab
Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard
He expressed concern over promised but unrealised primary schools in his constituency, questioning why councils do not work more constructively with the Department for Education.
Adam Jogee
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent North
He agreed that teachers are increasingly required to perform social work tasks. He mentioned a nine-year-old child who was not potty-trained, illustrating how basic care responsibilities fall on teaching staff.
Richard Gardner
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent South
He praised the headteacher of Alexandra infants' school for her community work and support services in difficult circumstances. He highlighted teachers who go above and beyond to deliver services that are often lacking.
Gareth Snell
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent Central
Mr Snell argues that providing a good start in life involves ensuring children have access to safe, warm homes and quality health services. He also mentions the impact of school trauma on parental engagement and calls for more comprehensive support networks including social activities through formal organisations like scouts and sporting clubs. Mr Snell highlights specific challenges faced by young people in kinship care arrangements and advocates for improving outcomes for those with special educational needs (SEND).
Twickenham
The hon. Member for Twickenham agrees with Mr Snell but suggests extending the profit cap on children's social care homes to alternative providers, a suggestion that Labour Members opposed.
Gareth Snell
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent Central
Mr Snell responds to Ms Wilson by reiterating his stance against profiteering in the special education sector. He acknowledges the need for local authorities to have the tools to address this issue and supports the Government's clear position on tackling excessive profits from alternative providers.
Darren Paffey
Lab
Southampton Itchen
Mr Paffey follows Mr Snell, noting the high rates of child poverty in Southampton Itchen. He praises dedicated teachers and early years professionals working against a legacy of underfunding and fragmented services. He welcomes Labour's focus on expanding high-quality early education, new nursery places for children aged 2-4, schools-based nurseries, and free breakfast clubs.
Matt Rodda
Lab
Reading Central
Mr Rodda supports Mr Paffey’s comments about the importance of addressing poverty in southern England. He endorses the value of breakfast clubs established in his constituency.
Anna Dixon
Lab
Shipley
Praises the Labour Government’s achievements in setting up Sure Start centres. Cites research showing positive outcomes for children who benefited from these services, including higher GCSE scores and improved physical health.
Chris Hinchliff
Ind
North East Hertfordshire
Welcomes the Government’s £39 billion funding announcement for the affordable homes programme. Emphasises the importance of decent housing in early years development, highlighting issues such as overcrowding and long journeys to school due to temporary accommodation. Advocates for a new generation of council housing to meet needs not provided by profit-driven sectors.
Tom Hayes
Lab
Bournemouth East
Discusses the importance of global citizenship among young people, emphasising their interest in nature and conservation. Supports initiatives that help children become active participants in wider humanity focusing on environmental issues.
Danny Kruger
Con
East Wiltshire
Welcomes the Conservative record on childcare entitlements, family hubs, and the 'Giving every child the best start in life' strategy.
Chris Hinchliffe
Lab
North East Hertfordshire
Calls for more funding for integrated early years services to match Sure Start's peak spending. Supports family hubs with trained staff for SEND children.
Josh Newbury
Con
Cannock Chase
Welcomes the Government’s approach but calls for further investment and support for nurseries facing financial pressure due to tax hikes.
Janet Daby
Con
Halifax
Argued that access to creative arts, particularly music, should be available to all young people through Best Start family hubs. Emphasised the positive effects on cognitive ability and life skills. Reassured constituents about support for parents, including single parents and carers. Highlighted the cross-party nature of this issue. Mentioned funding for services in every local authority and the importance of partnership with voluntary sector groups. Stressed the significance of professional training and early education quality.
Matt Rodda
Lab
Nantwich
Stated that there should be a shared national mission to invest in young people, citing evidence that £1 invested at an early age is worth £16 later. Highlighted the importance of supporting very young children for their best start in life.
Ceredigion
Asked if voluntary sector groups could ensure that their work does not get replaced and forms part of the offer, as they are often rooted in communities. Highlighted their continuous high-quality service during tough times.
Darren Paffey
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent Central
Asked about how SEND co-ordinators will work in partnership with local education, health and local authority partners to avoid silo thinking. Emphasised the importance of a holistic approach.
Tom Hayes
Con
Bournemouth East
Suggested that families should have a greater role earlier on in the design of their child’s EHCP. Stressed the importance of having families at the heart of the process for SEND reform.
West Dorset
Asked about funding delays for improvements to a school site in West Dorset. Highlighted that 52% of children have SEND and the need for better support.
Gareth Snell
Lab
Stoke-on-Trent Central
Raised concerns about where there are multiple and complex issues, as EHCP will only fund the primary driver of need. Emphasised the need for a holistic view of the child's needs.
Government Response
Government plans to invest £500 million in Best Start family hubs, expanding them across all local authorities. The initiative aims to provide joined-up support from pregnancy through early years and includes a digital service linked to the NHS app for parent guidance. The Government's 'best start in life' strategy outlines steps to expand and strengthen family services, make early education more accessible and affordable, and improve the quality of childcare. The new Best Start service will honour Sure Start’s legacy and transform life chances for children. Emphasised the importance of support for children with SEND and the commitment to reform the broken system set up by Conservatives. Mentioned that there will always be a legal right to additional support, which will be protected. Stressed the need to work in partnership with families, experts and the sector.
Shadow Response
None
Shadow Response
Rebutted Labour criticisms by highlighting performance improvements in England's education system compared to Wales under Labour. Criticised the Government for diluting parental choice, increasing national insurance taxes that disproportionately affect low-income workers, and misrepresenting teacher numbers. Emphasised the need for broader curriculum support rather than micromanagement.
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Assessment & feedback
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