To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the Office for Equality and Opportunity's press release entitled Time to end class squeamishness: first government unit to improve life chances for working class, published on 9 September 2026, what arrangements will be in place to ensure independent scrutiny...

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the Office for Equality and Opportunity's press release entitled Time to end class squeamishness: first government unit to improve life chances for working class, published on 9 September 2026, what arrangements will be in place to ensure independent scrutiny...

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will set out how she intends to maintain external scrutiny of the Government’s performance in relation to policy related to social mobility following the closure of the Social Mobility Commission.

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will set out how she intends to maintain external scrutiny of the Government’s performance in relation to policy related to social mobility following the closure of the Social Mobility Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing Level 5 and Level 6 leadership and management apprenticeships from levy funding on social mobility.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of removing Level 5 and Level 6 leadership and management apprenticeships from levy funding on social mobility.

Lords motion to take note of the report of the Social Mobility Committee on Social Mobility: Local Roots, Lasting Change (HL 201 2024-26). Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to take note of the report of the Social Mobility Committee on Social Mobility: Local Roots, Lasting Change (HL 201 2024-26). Agreed to on question.

My Lords, there is hardly a more important subject than the future of our young people and their contribution to the wealth of the nation and to their own happiness. I was privileged to lead a one-off committee last year on social mobility. What the committee learned was sobering and...

My Lords, there is hardly a more important subject than the future of our young people and their contribution to the wealth of the nation and to their own happiness. I was privileged to lead a one-off committee last year on social mobility. What the committee learned was sobering and...

My Lords, it is a huge privilege to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Manningham-Buller, for whom I have huge respect. So often I tremble when I see her, but always with respect.

This is an excellent report. The noble Baroness mentioned that it obviously has gaps, which there are bound to...

My Lords, it is a huge privilege to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Manningham-Buller, for whom I have huge respect. So often I tremble when I see her, but always with respect.

This is an excellent report. The noble Baroness mentioned that it obviously has gaps, which there are bound to...

My Lords, I congratulate the committee on an excellent report. I am sure it was the right approach to focus on a specific set of problems, and it is a very well-judged collection that is put to us to debate today. Personally, I have always thought that the biggest single...

My Lords, I congratulate the committee on an excellent report. I am sure it was the right approach to focus on a specific set of problems, and it is a very well-judged collection that is put to us to debate today. Personally, I have always thought that the biggest single...

My Lords, this was a fascinating committee with a very impressive chair and enthusiastic members. We asked witnesses for a definition of social mobility and received a very wide variety of answers. We ended up with, “Ensuring that the situation that you are born into or grow up in does...

My Lords, this was a fascinating committee with a very impressive chair and enthusiastic members. We asked witnesses for a definition of social mobility and received a very wide variety of answers. We ended up with, “Ensuring that the situation that you are born into or grow up in does...

My Lords, I too warmly applaud this report. What is so encouraging is that it does not have all the answers. I think it has whetted in a great number of people a curiosity, an appetite to study further, to have more data. That, to me, is a very encouraging...

My Lords, I too warmly applaud this report. What is so encouraging is that it does not have all the answers. I think it has whetted in a great number of people a curiosity, an appetite to study further, to have more data. That, to me, is a very encouraging...

My Lords, for me, this journey started all the way back in 2024 when I proposed this topic as a special inquiry, so it is very good at last to see the work brought to a conclusion in this debate. First, I thank our superb chair, the noble Baroness, Lady...

My Lords, for me, this journey started all the way back in 2024 when I proposed this topic as a special inquiry, so it is very good at last to see the work brought to a conclusion in this debate. First, I thank our superb chair, the noble Baroness, Lady...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Ravensdale, who reminded the committee of the importance of data. I join him and others in complimenting the noble Baroness on her chairmanship. Her earlier career gave her unparalleled skills in interrogation.

While welcoming much of the Government’s response,...

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Ravensdale, who reminded the committee of the importance of data. I join him and others in complimenting the noble Baroness on her chairmanship. Her earlier career gave her unparalleled skills in interrogation.

While welcoming much of the Government’s response,...

My Lords, as a member of the committee, I also express my gratitude to our chair, the noble Baroness, Lady Manningham-Buller, along with our clerk and her outstanding team. I draw attention to my registered interests as an employer and an active Army Reserve officer. I also pay tribute to...

My Lords, as a member of the committee, I also express my gratitude to our chair, the noble Baroness, Lady Manningham-Buller, along with our clerk and her outstanding team. I draw attention to my registered interests as an employer and an active Army Reserve officer. I also pay tribute to...

It is advisory. In the absence of legitimate career paths—

It is advisory. In the absence of legitimate career paths—

I will then put forward two direct questions to the Minister. First, will she advocate with the Treasury to expand national insurance exemptions to cover all employees under 25 in the upcoming Budget? Secondly, will she confirm that the final Milburn report will be released promptly and that it will...

I will then put forward two direct questions to the Minister. First, will she advocate with the Treasury to expand national insurance exemptions to cover all employees under 25 in the upcoming Budget? Secondly, will she confirm that the final Milburn report will be released promptly and that it will...

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Manningham-Buller, and her committee for producing this very thoughtful and focused report. The committee’s focus on education and training opportunities for 16 to 18 year-olds is pertinent, as is its recommendation regarding local leadership, given the regional disparities. While the Government’s response...

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Manningham-Buller, and her committee for producing this very thoughtful and focused report. The committee’s focus on education and training opportunities for 16 to 18 year-olds is pertinent, as is its recommendation regarding local leadership, given the regional disparities. While the Government’s response...

My Lords, as we consider this issue it is also important to look at how it intersects with the criminal justice system. We know there is a cycle whereby disadvantage can lead to educational disengagement. This can lead to someone ending up outside of education, employment or training. Once there,...

My Lords, as we consider this issue it is also important to look at how it intersects with the criminal justice system. We know there is a cycle whereby disadvantage can lead to educational disengagement. This can lead to someone ending up outside of education, employment or training. Once there,...

My Lords, I read the committee’s excellent report over the Summer Recess, when I spent time in Washington DC and visited the recently opened Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream. It defines the core pillars of that dream—in other words, the core pillars of social mobility—as education, health, financial...

My Lords, I read the committee’s excellent report over the Summer Recess, when I spent time in Washington DC and visited the recently opened Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream. It defines the core pillars of that dream—in other words, the core pillars of social mobility—as education, health, financial...

My Lords, I too congratulate my noble friend and her colleagues on an excellent and timely report, and on her speech. I will make two quick points. The first is to add my voice to the point about local partnerships and how vital they are. You cannot just have a...

My Lords, I too congratulate my noble friend and her colleagues on an excellent and timely report, and on her speech. I will make two quick points. The first is to add my voice to the point about local partnerships and how vital they are. You cannot just have a...

My Lords, I pay tribute to our formidable chair, the noble Baroness, Lady Manningham-Buller, for keeping us all on track. I welcome the Government’s response to the Social Mobility Policy Committee’s report on social mobility and NEETs, and it is encouraging to see progress on earlier identification, better data sharing,...

My Lords, I pay tribute to our formidable chair, the noble Baroness, Lady Manningham-Buller, for keeping us all on track. I welcome the Government’s response to the Social Mobility Policy Committee’s report on social mobility and NEETs, and it is encouraging to see progress on earlier identification, better data sharing,...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Manningham-Buller, and her committee on their thoughtful report. I declare my interest as a social mobility commissioner. The Social Mobility Commission was very pleased to contribute to the inquiry, including our excellent chairman, Alun Francis, who hosting the committee at Blackpool and...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady Manningham-Buller, and her committee on their thoughtful report. I declare my interest as a social mobility commissioner. The Social Mobility Commission was very pleased to contribute to the inquiry, including our excellent chairman, Alun Francis, who hosting the committee at Blackpool and...