Catherine McKinnell MP: speeches

Speeches

• 20 May 2026 · Defence Readiness · Hansard source

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  It is an honour to follow the right hon. Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison). It is clear that when it comes to defence readiness, there is much on which we can all agree. Let me also—before he leaves the Chamber—pay tribute to the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Sir Iain Duncan Smith), and to my right hon. Friend the Member for Ilford North (Wes Streeting). The former set out in powerful terms the challenges that we face as a country, but it was the latter who set out, also in powerful terms, the hope and the determination that we must show in government in order to meet those challenges in a way that the country deserves. As ever, my right hon. Friend showed great courage and strength in leading from the front. Today’s debate rightly focuses on defence and national security, and it could not be more timely given the challenges that we face. However, that sense of security comes not just from investment in defence, although that is clearly important and I will say more about it shortly, but from investment in the broadest sense—investment in our people, in the creation of strong, resilient, enterprising and cohesive communities. That is what will ultimately keep us safe. The Armed Forces Bill and the national security Bill are important steps forward, and, given the disgusting and horrifying extremism and antisemitism that we have seen rising here in Britain, the tackling state threats Bill will also be a welcome response to the threats that we face on our own soil, including those from Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Having called for it, I welcome the legislation that is coming, and will be following developments very closely. However, we cannot make meaningful progress on defence without the defence investment plan. While I know that the Secretary of State and his team are working incredibly hard on producing the plan, the delay in its production is having real-world consequences, and we need it to maintain our international credibility. In my role as the UK’s trade envoy to Italy, I know how important collaboration is for the global combat air programme, which will unleash opportunities and defence investment. In my region, the north-east, our defence sector is a major employer, supporting thousands of jobs and a wide network of small and medium-sized enterprises. We could do even more, but we need certainty and security about what is coming down the track in order to protect our supply chains and the big contractors that we know are still waiting. Without the investment plan, we risk undermining defence manufacturing and sovereign capabilities, both in my region and across the country, and domestic production is not something that we can gamble with. We have such a strong story to tell in Newcastle. The opening of the North East Space Skills and Technology Centre at Northumbria University has added a new dimension to our regional capabilities by supporting apprenticeships and graduate programmes, helping to build the next generation of skilled workers. We know that defence investment does not just impact one industry; it boosts skills, innovation and opportunities across our whole economy. We need to know the details of the plan so that businesses can provide real, tangible support for our young people, and so that those young people can access high-quality training and employment. As a northerner, I am pleased to see the northern powerhouse Bill included in the King’s Speech, but it must be backed by genuine investment. The north cannot possibly endure yet another round of broken promises, especially after the catastrophic management of High Speed 2 by the previous Government. The small business protections Bill will offer long-overdue protection for sole traders, freelancers and family-run businesses, which we know have been ignored by large companies for far too long. I know that many small businesses will welcome the Bill, as it could genuinely save livelihoods, particularly in retail and hospitality. On the subject of retail and hospitality, the north-east is home to some of the best—Newcastle upon Tyne North is the home of the Greggs sausage roll, after all—but many in the sector are concerned about the impact of the overnight visitor levy Bill. I urge Ministers to keep an open mind as evidence emerges, because we need to ensure that our hospitality industry thrives. For many businesses, it is too often a question of whether they will survive. I urge the Chancellor to do everything possible to support our businesses, especially in retail, leisure and hospitality, because those are the sectors that give so many of our young people their first foot on the career ladder. Without them, we know that the costs to the state and to those individuals would be so much higher. Too often businesses feel like the odds are stacking up against them, so we as a Government need to all pull in one direction. It is in all our interests to make sure that opportunities for jobs, investment and community cohesion reach far and wide, because they do as much for our national security as investment in rotary blades and electronics. I will continue to monitor this issue in my role as co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group for youth employment. Finally, the energy independence Bill and the nuclear regulation Bill are both welcome. They will strengthen our energy security and our national security, and they will accelerate home-grown renewable energy. As chair of the all-party parliamentary group on warm homes, I want to see really ambitious energy production, and I will continue to monitor the progress made on warm homes and on the retrofitting of homes, because that is how we will help households to manage the rising cost of living. So much in this King’s Speech will be welcomed by my constituents in Newcastle upon Tyne North, from the commonhold and leasehold reform Bill to the social housing renewal Bill, but we have to ensure that they feel it, that they understand it, that they come with us and that they see the vision, so that we can help people to build better lives and stronger communities right across the UK.

• 24 Mar 2026 · Household Energy Bills · Hansard source

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  I am pleased to chair the newly formed all-party parliamentary group for warm homes. Newcastle is leading the way with its hugely impactful warm homes local grant scheme run by Warmworks in conjunction with Newcastle city council. Does the Secretary of State agree that we need to see more of these locally led grant schemes, which are helping people to insulate their homes so that they can protect themselves from any incoming global insecurity that might affect their ability to heat their homes?

• 26 Nov 2025 · Budget Resolutions · Hansard source

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  I am afraid that I cannot give way because the time will keep running down. Scrapping the limit is just the start and it has to happen in the context of wider welfare reforms that ensure that every child grows up in a home where work pays and where families can thrive. The mention of home brings me to council tax. There are deep-rooted inequalities in Newcastle. Just yesterday, I looked up two properties that are for sale: there was a lovely 1,600 square feet, five-bedroom house in Newcastle Great Park for £420,000, and a grade II listed former church in Knightsbridge in London of over 12,000 square feet, with seven bedrooms and a swimming pool, selling for £35 million. If I asked my constituents, “Who should pay more council tax?”, it is pretty obvious what the answer would be, yet incredibly my constituents will pay £75 more in council tax than that household in Knightsbridge. While I welcome the Chancellor’s announcements about council tax, I urge the Exchequer Secretary to go further and to review council tax bands, especially how new properties in all the new estates that are growing around the country are assessed. Turning briefly to the new powers for mayors on overnight stay levies, of course people flock to the north-east for good reason—our history, culture, stunning coastlines and the friendliest people they will ever meet. It is only fair that tourists help to fund the infrastructure that they use and enjoy when they stay, so I understand why mayors welcome this power and want to decide about it at a local level, so the amount is not just set in London but in every region, according to what works. However, that levy has to be proportionate and not have an unfair knock-on hit on small businesses, because if those businesses go under, we will lose jobs, vibrancy and what makes the north-east special. Our hospitality sector is under incredible pressure. I know that it is busting a gut to turn a profit and that every cost could be the one that breaks them, so while I welcome the higher wages in this Budget, we have to listen to some of the concerns raised by the Resolution Foundation. We do not want to discourage businesses from hiring, and especially not young people who want to take their first step on the job ladder. Finally, on electric vehicles, I appreciate the changes announced on pay per mile, but the affordability of electric vehicles remains a barrier to some who want to buy one and to do the right thing. Many workers have access to salary sacrifice schemes to help make the switch, but teachers in academy schools are still unable to access a scheme, because it was put on pause by the Treasury. I want to take the opportunity to make a plea that the Treasury sort out this impasse once and for all. It would be a win-win for teachers and the electric car scheme. To conclude, the goal is clear: a country where hard work pays, the cost of living is brought back under control, public services thrive and child poverty is history. Every pound of public money matters, because we know that it has the potential to transform lives. That is what people rightly expect of this Government, and I know that is the future that the Chancellor is working to deliver and why she has announced this Budget.

• 15 Jul 2025 · SEND Provision: South-east England · Hansard source

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  I congratulate the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells (Mike Martin) on securing this debate about an incredibly important subject. He, like many others here today, has a real interest in supporting families in his constituency to navigate the complex and challenging special educational needs and disabilities system. I know that he has met with the regional director for the south-east, Dame Kate Dethridge, to raise directly with her the concerns on a local level. I want to be clear from the outset that improving the SEND system is a priority for this Government. I have to say that I was a bit surprised by the speech made by the hon. Member for Reigate (Rebecca Paul) and what appeared to be some amnesia about the record that has been inherited. I appreciate that people do not want to talk about the past; they want to talk about the future and how we are going to fix it, and that is what we are focused on. However, we have to be careful to put this issue into the context of the huge challenge that we are currently facing and the absolutely abysmal legacy. It was put on the “too difficult” pile for far too long—it was somebody else’s children who were facing these challenges. We grasped the issue immediately on coming into Government and are determined to deliver on it because we want all children to receive the right support to succeed in their education and lead happy, healthy and productive adult lives. That message came across clearly in the contributions today. The first thing we did when we came into Government was move the responsibility for special educational needs into the schools group within the Department and into the role of the Minister for Schools because we recognise that that is where the challenges lie. However, it is also where many of the chances to turn around opportunities for children lie. In recent weeks and months—indeed, since I took this role—we have engaged with and listened to children, young people and parents. We have sought to understand what they want to see change and how we can together co-produce an education system that will lead to better experiences for them and their children and fundamentally drive improved outcomes for children. For too long, the attainment gap between children with special educational needs and their peers has been too large. It is pervasive and has not shifted in the right direction at all. For example, last month we joined 80 parents at a meeting of the National Network of Parent Carer Forums steering group, alongside key representatives from the Disabled Children’s Partnership, to listen to the current challenges and what they want to see change. We plan to do more of that in the lead-up to publishing the schools White Paper in the autumn, and we will continue to listen beyond that. It is important that we co-produce any reform of the system so that we rebuild the trust of children, parents and families—a trust that has been so badly broken over the past 14 years.

• 15 Jul 2025 · SEND Provision: South-east England · Hansard source

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  Yes, we absolutely recognise that the current system is really difficult for parents, carers and young people to navigate, and it is not delivering the outcomes we want to see. While we will set out the longer-term approach to reform in the schools White Paper in the autumn, we are clear that the changes we make must improve support for families, stop parents from having to fight for that support and education, and protect the effective provision already in place. We have given that reassurance. We know that sustainable reform will take some time, but we have already begun the work to ensure that children and young people are getting the support they need. We have introduced the regional improvements for standards and excellence advisers to work with mainstream schools, where we know outcomes need to be better. We want to ensure that all pupils in those schools can achieve and thrive, whatever their background, so we are targeting the support where that challenge is currently greatest. I recently had the opportunity to see that in action in Kent, when I visited Astor secondary school in Dover with Sir Kevan Collins. We met school and trust leaders, as well as the RISE adviser and the supporting organisation, Mulberry Schools Trust. We listened intently to the school’s experience of the programme so far. It is early days, but looking incredibly positive and it was good to see that support being put in place for schools that have been struggling for far too long. We are also building a robust evidence base on what works to drive inclusive education, including through the creation of the expert advisory group for inclusion, led by Tom Rees. We are extending the partnerships for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools—the PINS programme—to a further cohort of around 1,200 additional mainstream primary schools, to build that teacher and staff capacity to identify and better meet the needs of neurodivergent children in mainstream primary schools. The programme is supported by the Department for Education and the Department for Health, because we absolutely recognise the challenges outlined by a number of hon. Members, including my hon. Friends the Members for Worthing West (Dr Cooper) and for Rochester and Strood (Lauren Edwards), about making sure that we work together with the Department for Health where that is needed.

• 15 Jul 2025 · SEND Provision: South-east England · Hansard source

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  Okay, Sir Edward. I take the points about the specialist teaching workforce, and how we need to invest in that. Finally, on increasing the capacity in the system, we have already allocated £740 million to capital funding for high-needs capital allocations. Kent county council has been given £24 million as part of that funding. The funding is to create additional capacity in the system to ensure that mainstream inclusion can be a reality for schools—the capital allocation is there to make that happen. I thank the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells again for bringing forward this debate. My final word, as always, goes to those working across the education, health and care systems in the interests of our children and young people, both in Kent and the south-east and right across the country. They want to deliver the best for our children, and we as a Government want to support them to do so. I thank the hon. Member for bringing this matter to the House.

• 7 Jul 2025 · SEND Provision: London Borough of Barking and Dagenham · Hansard source

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  I know the hon. Gentleman cares passionately about this issue, and he is clearly keen to see the expansion of provision. As he knows, we are investing in the capital estate in the round, and supporting mainstream schools to expand. We have already given local authorities the funding, and we hope that they are working with their local schools to increase capacity. Obviously, the building of any additional schools is considered in the light of that, because we need to ensure that the right provision is available for the children who need it. We are giving close consideration to that, and are working closely with local authorities, whose duty it is to make sure that they have the places to meet those needs. We have announced that the details of our longer-term approach to SEND reform will be set out in the schools White Paper in the autumn. We are not wasting any time on this. We are already working to ensure that children and young people get the support they need; we are building a robust evidence base about what works to drive inclusive education, and we are creating the expert advisory group for inclusion, led by Tom Rees. We are introducing new regional improvement for standards and excellence—RISE—advisers, who will work with mainstream schools to ensure that they become more inclusive. We are extending PINS—partnerships for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools—to a further cohort of mainstream primary schools, so that we build teacher and staff capacity to identify, and better meet, the needs of neurodivergent children in mainstream school settings. We are prioritising early intervention and inclusive provision in mainstream settings, because early intervention prevents unmet needs from escalating, and is the best way to support all children and young people to achieve their goals alongside their peers. We are committed to working with the sector and our partners to ensure that our approach is fully planned, and developed in partnership with families, stakeholders and the entire sector, which needs to deliver these reforms. The number of education, health and care plans has increased each year since their introduction in 2014, with over 630,000 children and young people having an EHCP as of January 2025. Over time, flaws and lack of capacity in the system to meet lower-level need have put additional strain on specialist services. That has had a really detrimental impact on the experience of accessing support through the EHCP process, and has contributed to pushing up costs and creating an increasingly unsustainable system. The latest data shows that in 2024, just over 46% of new EHCPs were issued within the 20-week timeframe. The Government want to ensure that EHC need assessments are progressed promptly, and that plans are issued quickly to provide children and young people with the support that they need to achieve positive outcomes. Independently commissioned insights published last year showed that extensive improvements to the system using early intervention and better resourcing of mainstream schools could have a significant impact, with more children and young people having their needs met without an EHCP, and in a mainstream setting, rather than in a specialist placement. We have listened to parents, local authority colleagues and partners right across education, health and social care. We are considering really carefully how to improve the EHCP process for families, and are reflecting on what practices could or should be made consistent nationally. Children and young people with SEND frequently require access to additional support from a broad, specialist workforce right across education, health and care. To support the demand, in partnership with NHS England, we are funding early language support for every child: ELSEC. This is trialling new ways of working to better identify and support children with speech, language and communication needs in their early years and at primary school. I have seen this in practice, and seen the difference it makes to not just the children who participate in the programme and clearly thrive as a result, but the teaching workforce, who grow in confidence and in their ability to untap and unlock children’s learning. It is having a great impact, and we are keen to see the results of the pilot, the roll-out, and the impact taking root in schools. Continuing to ensure a pipeline of speech and language therapists is essential. That is why we have introduced a speech and language degree apprenticeship. It is in its third year of delivery, and it offers a really excellent alternative pathway to the traditional degree route into a successful career as a speech and language therapist. Of course, we need many more such therapists. It takes a vast workforce, from teachers to teaching assistants, and from early years educators to allied health professionals, to help children and young people thrive, and we are investing in each of those areas to improve outcomes and experiences across the country. I am aware of the ten-minute rule Bill sponsored by my hon. Friend the Member for Dagenham and Rainham, which is on this very issue, and is due to be presented in the House tomorrow. High-quality teaching is central to ensuring that pupils with SEND are given the best possible opportunity to achieve in their education, so to support teachers, we are implementing high-quality teacher development. It begins with their initial teacher training, continues into their early teaching career, and carries on right through to middle and senior leadership. We want to offer professional development to all teachers, so that they have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. The partnership for inclusion of neurodiversity in schools is also deploying health and education specialists in the workforce to upskill primary schools, so that they can support neurodivergent children. The support operates on a whole-school level and is not reliant on a diagnosis. That support is there for all children, depending on their needs. Local authorities need support with their educational psychology services, and we are investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists. As these trainees complete their studies, they will be able to join the workforce and support local authority education services, including by contributing to statutory assessments. We know those assessments are a big challenge, and workforce shortages are a huge barrier to delivering our ambition for an inclusive mainstream education system.

• 7 Jul 2025 · SEND Provision: London Borough of Barking and Dagenham · Hansard source

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  I recognise the challenge that the hon. Member and others have set out. We are looking at the national funding formula. Obviously, this cannot happen as fast as one might want, because it is important to maintain stability in the system, and changes from year to year can create challenges for local authorities and schools. We have to look at the system carefully and introduce any changes in a careful and considered way, and that is what we are doing. We are taking on board the representations that we are receiving about the funding currently in the system. One other area that we are focused on is capital funding to expand the estate. Many mainstream settings are going above and beyond to deliver specialist provision, but we want to ensure that all capacity is maximised. Where a local authority identifies a school that could provide more places or make more provision, we need to ensure that it has the capital to support that. That is why we have allocated £740 million for the 2025-26 year to deliver those additional places in mainstream and special schools and other specialist settings, or to adapt buildings to make them more accessible and more appropriate for providing inclusive mainstream education. The Department’s spending review has confirmed the funding for reform of the SEND system; we will set out the details in the White Paper in the autumn. We recognise that local authorities will need support during the transition to a reformed SEND system, so we will commence a phased transition. We will work with local authorities to manage their budgets and deficits. That will come alongside an extension to the dedicated schools grant statutory override up until the 2027-28 financial year, because we recognise the time it will take to put this right. We will provide more details on this by the end of the year. We are running out of time, but I want to thank my hon. Friend the Member for Dagenham and Rainham again for bringing this matter forward, and to thank all who have contributed to the debate. We have made a clear commitment to addressing the challenges, so that we can help children and young people to achieve and thrive. I am determined that progress will be made on this issue. I conclude by recognising all those who work in our education, health and care systems, and who work for our children and young people with SEND in Barking and Dagenham, and right across the country. We all want to deliver the best for children and young people, including those with SEND, so that they have the best start in life; and we want to prepare them for life, work and the future. The Government will continue to work to that end. Question put and agreed to .