It is a pleasure to serve under the chairmanship of Sir Edward Leigh, and I welcome the shadow Minister Neil O'Brien. The minister acknowledges that families wish to avoid busier periods but emphasizes the importance of school attendance. The Government are tackling absence via an approach rooted in responsibility, partnership, and belonging, including supporting schools and parents' legal responsibilities. There has been progress since the pandemic, yet one in five children is persistently absent, missing a day every other week. The minister highlights the benefits of regular school attendance for attainment, mental wellbeing, and long-term development, with data showing that 18% fewer children who miss two weeks achieve good GCSE results compared to those attending daily. Analysis by the Office of the Children's Commissioner shows any amount of holiday during term time is associated with lower GCSE results. The minister also emphasizes that a child taken out for a fortnight's term-time holiday and having an average number of days off due to illness will miss a full school year by age 16, impacting other children's learning stability negatively, particularly disadvantaged pupils. Extra funding over £1 billion is announced to help schools with additional costs, including supporting SEND pupils. The minister notes that the national framework for penalty notices strengthens protections for SEND parents and sets out clear expectations on how services should work together to improve attendance. Concerning holiday prices, the Government recognize the concerns but do not have authority to dictate pricing strategies. Schools and local authorities can plan term dates to help families plan breaks at suitable times. The minister stresses that family holidays are enriching activities but prioritizes children attending school as a crucial step towards success.