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Speech given 18th October, 2011:

Firstly, I’d like to say how pleased I am that this debate starts with the basic principles and asks what education is for. I share the vision of some of the contributors to this e-book that education is at once academic, vocational and social. That it should equip children for life not just the workforce. And that it should be a place where you find social enlightenment, not social advantage.

If we are going to tear up the script we need to know what we are trying to achieve and I would suggest there are several key principles.

My instincts and experience from working with some of the most disadvantaged children in the country point to collaboration not competition.  Pulling up the worst-off is good for everyone. As the Spirit Level demonstrated so convincingly, greater inequality is bad – not just for the most disadvantaged – but for all of us. So in real terms I think we have to be wary of league tables – and their focus on a narrow range of outcomes – support collaboration across and among schools and stand firm against the breakup of the local authority family of schools.

Our first principle must surely be education for all children, not some. To paraphrase Andy Burnham our kids deserve a Government that has a plan for all schools and all children, not some schools and some children. That’s why it’s so deeply concerning that Gove has repeatedly refused to tell me what he’s spending on free schools. How do communities make informed choices about where that money should be best spent? Transparency has to be at the basis of an education system we can trust.

And we ought to recognise that the system doesn’t work for some people and never will because life intervenes. I couldn’t agree more with Tom Schuller that we need a renewed focus on lifelong learning, not just as a safety net but as the basis of a fulfilled life. As Jon Cruddas has pointed out, that was always part of the working class socialist tradition. And is surely even more important in today’s world where reskilling is part of the fabric of modern working life.

I think we need to accept also, that being equal doesn’t mean being the same and that the focus on personalised learning under the last Government was the right one.

And I am deeply sceptical about the role of price and profit in the education system. Not just because providers cream off profitable sections – as we have seen in the US healthcare system – leaving the taxpayers struggling to pick up the rest, but because markets simply can’t see people without purchasing power – they are invisible – and where children, their life chances and the future of society is concerned that is unacceptable.

That doesn’t mean you can’t lever in private investment – through social investment bonds for example – but it depends on who is calling the shots, and where the safety net is when private investors don’t want to invest or withdraw their funding. How do you make sure that the core service still exists for those who most need it?

At heart the international evidence shows that the critical factor in achieving for children is proper investment in teachers and staff. When I visited Finland earlier this year with the Education Select Committee that was the lesson they urged us to come away with.

And in the UK there is deserved criticism that teachers have not been allowed to use their professional skills and judgment. Does equality have to mean central control or can you devolve power: let teachers teach and people innovate and still give chances to all children? My answer is that of course you can have both. In fact real freedom relies on equality. The Greater Manchester challenge in my area was a great example of this: teachers from across Manchester came together and said a failing school is our collective responsibility because these are our kids, they’re Manchester’s kids. They lent one another staff and expertise and it worked. It was innovation within a state framework. Not despite the state framework, but because of it.

I understand the desire for fresh thinking and the frustration Neal and Ken are giving voice to. But I would sound a strong note of caution – what is innovative about free schools? To select certain groups of children and create opportunities for some at the expense of all? To opt out of the curriculum? Where does that end? Or to lower the terms and conditions of teachers and create a two tier workforce. That doesn’t represent progress. That isn’t innovation but vandalism.

The system I want to see is built on a fair funding and admissions framework. On that basis innovation is positive and liberating. But try building local freedoms on an unfair, skewed foundation and it will fail.

Lisa Nandy has called on Ofgem, the energy watchdog, to not hold back from imposing big financial penalties on energy companies if they are seen to be acting ‘anti-competitively’.

This comes amidst a hike in energy prices by 20% this year and nearly 50% over the last four years.  According to research published by OFGEM last week, the average duel fuel bill is now £1345 per household.  At the same time, energy companies have seen their profits soar in the last six months – with their margin increasing from £15 per customer in June to £125 now.

Ofgem has the power to impose a maximum financial penalty of up to 10% of an energy company’s turnover in such circumstances.  The House of Commons motion, which Lisa Nandy has signed up to goes on to state that the recent hike in energy price rises by the big six energy companies are ‘clear acts of such anti-competitive behaviour’.

Lisa Nandy has been inundated with emails and letters in relation to the recent rise in energy prices, which has hit the lowest paid the hardest, particularly pensioners.

The Wigan MP commented:

“The regulations are in place to stop energy companies acting together to inflate profits by passing the burden on to the consumer, Ofgem simply needs to properly enforce them.  And the Government needs to do more to help those who are suffering as the result of huge energy bills.

That’s why I, along with a number of Parliamentary colleagues have called on the Government to redistribute any fines enforced by Ofgem to hard-pressed customers this winter.”

Staff at Wigan charity Rathbone have been given a ringing endorsement – for opening their ears to teenagers.

The Princess Street concern has long beaten the drum for local youngsters on issues such as unemployment and poverty. But it has been their ability to sit, listen and offer sound advice to youngsters that has now encouraged the careers service and local MP Lisa Nandy to wax lyrical about their efforts.

Rathbone Wigan has become one of the first organisations in the North West to receive the Information, Guidance and Quality (IAG) Award at silver level. Organised through the Connexions service and rigorously assessed, the honour salutes schools and training providers who supply young people with the very best education, support and guidance.

Standish based volunteer Kim Kelsall is in the unique position of giving out careers advice to young people – whilst receiving some herself! The former St Thomas the Martyr primary school student is currently teaching Rathbone youngsters basic Maths, English and ICT skills in a bid to bolster her CV. The experience has been a real education for her and she says: “Working with these young people has opened my eyes and I now want a career that makes a difference and that isn’t nine-to-five.”

Staff from the Rathbone centre received their award from Wigan MP Lisa Nandy. A passionate advocate of young people’s rights, Lisa recently joined the charity in a campaign to get Wiganers to pledge to like teenagers again! Said Lisa: “Rathbone plays a vital role in helping to raise the expectations of all young people in our borough and more importantly, enables them to realise their goals.”

Rathbone Wigan organises a raft of courses for unemployed youngsters which will be showcased at an open day at their base at 2000 Princess Street on Thursday 20^th October (midday-4pm). Raffles, refreshments and mystery guests will highlight the charity’s belief that learning is vital – but can also be fun!

Audra Nicholls, Youth Programmes Coordinator for Rathbone Wigan added: “Our sole purpose is to promote a brighter future for young people in our borough. This is a tough time for teenagers with record youth unemployment but with the support of our MP, careers service and the people of Wigan we intend to make sure that the potential of our next generation is fulfilled.”

Learn more about Rathbone Wigan by visiting www.rathboneuk.org email wigan@rathboneuk.org or telephone 01942 742000.

Pictured are Kim Kelsall (Rathbone Wigan), Lisa Nandy MP for Wigan and Audra Nicholls (Rathbone Wigan).

Lisa Nandy MP on disabled access to Parliament

Yesterday I asked the Speaker of the House of Commons to investigate why, last week, people with disabilities left Parliament feeling disappointed – and in some cases humiliated – after trying to attend a debate on disabled access to public transport.

The response from the House authorities has been swift and genuine. The constraints of the Parliamentary building are obvious and on so many occasions the House staff rise to the challenges it presents. The fact that we, collectively, fell short on this occasion makes me wonder, not about the will of the staff involved who are clearly dedicated to ensuring access for all, but about whether in 2011 we have outgrown a building that cannot cater easily for the 12 million people with disabilities in the UK.

Sadly, the response from the House of Commons is not always replicated elsewhere. Nearly 16 years after the Disability Discrimination Act that offered hope to people across the country, many of my constituents are still unable to get on a train or a bus to take part in activities that many of us take for granted – going to work, shopping or seeing friends.

In advance of last week’s debate I was inundated with stories of people left stranded, unable to get on or off trains and buses. Nearly half of all train stations do not have level access, London Underground remains largely a no-go area for people in wheelchairs and people whose disabilities are not obvious told me they had been questioned to a humiliating degree about their concessionary pass. Running through all of these stories like a thread was a common story of humiliation and anxiety that is entirely inappropriate in 2011.

Yet despite progress urgently needed, there is a risk that this situation is not getting better, but worse. With cancelled station upgrades, ticket office closures and abolished concessionary fares, it is not at all clear that by 2020 we will even have met the most basic requirements promised to people by legislation passed sixteen years ago.

It would be relatively easy to solve this situation. Government has enormous purchasing power – nearly half of bus operating revenue comes from the taxpayer and train company franchises are constantly renewed. It is time we took this seriously and made it our top priority.

Early next year the West Coast Mainline franchise is renewed. This will be the first key test for Government since the promises made in last week’s debate and I am seeking a commitment that disabled access will be a priority for the successful company. Action on this issue is long overdue and for 12 million people in the UK it simply cannot wait.

Lisa Nandy, MP for Wigan, helped Douglas Valley Children’s Centre celebrate World School Milk Day by swapping her parliamentary duties for those of honorary milk monitor.

Douglas Valley Children’s Centre was one of thousands of schools across more than 40 countries taking part in celebrations dedicated to World School Milk Day this month. The day encourages children to drink milk and aims to educate them about the benefits of milk.

In the UK, school milk is free for children in day-care or primary education under the age of five, and subsidised for school students aged five to eleven. Milk is delivered fresh and chilled to the classroom, distributed by students and consumed as a group.

This process helps teach children responsibility, independence, manners and numeracy, and provides important social time in a child’s day. Further, milk is vital for building healthy bones and teeth and improves a child’s concentration, memory and creativity.

Headteacher Catherine Ardern said:

“We encourage our children to drink milk everyday as part of a healthy diet. Milk is proven to help children to concentrate and helps them to get the best out of all the learning experiences we provide for them.”

Lisa Nandy also commented:

“Establishing healthy eating habits from an early age is absolutely vital and school is the next best place to the home for ensuring this for kids.”

• The 1944 Education Act introduced a free milk clause which gave a free glass (1/3 pint) of milk to all school children in the United Kingdom under the age of 18. Today, under the Welfare Food Scheme run by the Department of Health, under-fives are still eligible for free school milk. Milk is also subsidised for school children aged five to 11 by the European Union under the European school milk scheme.
• Health benefits of drinking milk from a young age include the prevention of broken bones and the onset of osteoporosis as well as improvements in dental health.
• World School Milk Day began in 2000 and is an initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). More than 40 countries around the world including China, Iran, India and Tanzania will celebrate the day this year.

Whizz-Kidz – which provides vital wheelchairs, life skills, and work opportunities for young disabled people – quizzed MPs to see how in-touch they are with popular culture. Questions included, what is the most played album on their MP3 player, and how often do they google themselves.

Ms Nandy commented;

“It was great to meet Jamie and Whizz-Kidz at Conference and be put on the spot!

“Beneath the mischief, the charity underlined the importance of disabled young people having the opportunity to be themselves, and have a childhood like any other.”

Jamie Green added,

“All the MPs and MSPs were great sports, and answered my three minute quiz honestly. All the interviews are hosted on our audioboo website.”

Listen to Whizz-Kidz’s audioboo interviews at http://audioboo.fm/Whizz-Kidz.

This week Lisa will host a Westminster Hall debate on disabled access to public transport, which is a key element of allowing young, disabled people independence and mobility.

Lisa Nandy today hosted an adjournment debate in Westminster Hall on the subject of disabled access to public transport.  MPs highlighted concerns about cuts to transport spending from local authority budgets and to concessionary travel, the abolition of the Disabled Person’s Transport Advisory Committee and proposals from the McNulty review to close 675 ticket offices on the rail network.

During the debate, Ms Nandy spoke about the experiences that her disabled constituents had described to her and of the ‘endless difficulties in doing the simplest things that we all take for granted’.  She mentioned in particular the number of disabled people that had come to see her about their attempted train journey from Wigan to Preston in which they had been forced to travel in relay, sitting in the guards van amongst other passengers’ luggage.

After calling the debate, Lisa Nandy’s office had been contacted by an enormous number of disabled advocacy groups and people sharing their experiences of the problems they have faced. The MP said that the thread that ran through all these stories was one of ‘indignity and humiliation’.  She also said that she was ‘angry’ that in 2011, this was still seen as an acceptable way to treat people.

The Minister agreed to Ms Nandy’s request to establish a cross-departmental working group on the issue, which would liaise with advocacy groups and to set up a meeting with the Minister and a number of campaign groups to establish a clear plan of action to tackle this issue.  Ms Nandy also called for more stringent conditions in the contracting out of rail services on accessibility, to reconsider proposals to cut ticket office staff and to equip all buses with audio and visual information.  The Minister assured her that he would take all these requests back to the Department and give them due consideration.

Lisa Nandy said after the debate:

I am delighted that the Minister has committed to the kind of joined-up government that this issue desperately needs and to listen to the voices of these people that so often go ignored.  I will continue to push for my further demands and for real progress on accessibility in public transport.  It is simply unacceptable that people with disabilities should be effectively barred in some circumstances from accessing public transport.

The fact that so many MPs from different parties took part in the debate shows the strength of feeling about this issue. We are pleased that Ministers have agreed to set up a working group, and we will be pushing to make sure do not continue to fail the 12 million disabled people up and down the country.

Lisa addressed this year’s annual Tribune Rally at Labour Party Conference alongside Unite’s General Secretary Len McCluskey , Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls MP, Emily Thornberry MP, Tom Watson MP and Jon Trickett MP.

It was the second time Lisa had spoken at the Rally and she said: “it was a pleasure to speak alongside such an impressive line up of speakers. At a time when the public sector, and public service, is under attack in my Wigan constituency and across the country it is vital that we reform and defend the role of the state to protect people from the worst excesses of free markets.”

Tom Watson MP addressed conference about the News International scandal which he helped to uncover. Meanwhile Ed Balls MP and Len McCluskey put forward alternatives to the Coalition’s economic plan.

You can read more at:    
http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2011/09/13594/

Speaking at the 2011 Labour Party Conference, Lisa Nandy argued that charities should maintain their independence from government and be able to campaign against policies where necessary

At the fringe meeting, organised by the umbrella bodies Acevo and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, Lisa Nandy said she had worked for the charities Centrepoint and the Children’s Society before being elected as MP for Wigan in May 2010.

The MP for Wigan said that it was ‘problematic’ that charities should be treated like the third arm of the state and that delivering government services means you have to agree with the government about how those services should be run.

A charity’s biggest asset is their legitimacy in the eyes of the public:

“The government loves charities because of that legitimacy, and charities must think carefully before they give it away,” she said.

At the event, called Are charities being co-opted by the state or spending too much time campaigning? Nandy also said charities’ campaigning role was vital. “When you deliver services to the most vulnerable people, you absolutely have to speak up,” she said. “Often nobody else will know what is happening to these people, so campaigning for them is absolutely essential to what you do.”

“One thing that worries me about the way charities have taken on the role of the state and taken government funding is that, now that the funding is collapsing, charities are being pitted against each other to win the contracts that are available,” she said. “At a time like this, charities need to be united.”

Also at the event Richard Hawkes, chief executive of the disability charityScope, said charities must be bolder at campaigning. “There are times when we are not as brave as we could be,” he said. “Charities spend too much time tweaking the status quo and some tend to regard success as getting a place on a government committee. We shouldn’t just be amending proposals; we should be pushing forward radical alternatives.”

He said charities that received public funds should still be willing to criticise central and local government. “Scope recently worked on some research that was critical of local authorities for cutting disability services,” he said. “Some of those councils funded Scope. It was bold but it was the right thing to do.”

Peter Kyle, deputy chief executive of Acevo, said that charities were often able to convince government ministers of their case against a particular policy but unable to offer an alternative. “Charities need to be clear about what they will do once they have won the argument,” he said.

Article originally appeared in Third Sector Online by Kaye Wiggins.

Lisa Nandy MP is calling for young men in Wigan to do something special. The MP has joined other politicians in pledging to recruit at least ten men each between the ages to 18 and 30 to join the Anthony Nolan stem cell register.

Anthony Nolan is a pioneering charity that saves the lives of people with blood cancer. Every day, they use their register to match remarkable donors willing to donate their blood stem cells to people who desperately need potentially lifesaving transplants.

However, there is a shortage of young male donors on the bone marrow register. Men aged 18-30 account for 80% of donations, but make up just 19% of the register. Presently, Anthony Nolan can only find a matching donor for half the people who come to them in desperate need of a lifesaving transplant so this summer they are aiming to recruit 10,000 more young men to the register.

Lisa plans to write to youth groups, colleges and other community groups as well as raising this with young people she meets on a regular basis around the constituency.

Anthony Nolan has provided every MP with a unique code to give to constituents so the charity can track how many young men MPs have recruited. Young men interested in the chance to save someone’s life should go to www.anthonynolan.org/mp and enter the code A993.

The MP for Wigan said:

I am pleased to be part of this vital campaign that aims to save the lives of the 1600 people in the UK currently in need of a stem cell transplant. By joining the Anthony Nolan Register, these young men will be offering patients the chance of life and a new hope to their families.

I have met dozens, if not hundreds, of inspiring young people in my constituency and I am sure many will be ready to step forward and join the Register.