Paul Waugh, the Labour and Co-operative MP for Rochdale, answered questions at the despatch box in the House of Commons for the first time on Monday, in what is the first time a Rochdale MP has spoken from the Government despatch box.
Mr Waugh, who was appointed Minister for Early Education in July, took Education questions on Monday afternoon. He is the first MP for Rochdale to hold a ministerial post since the constituency was created in 1832.
Born in Wardle and brought up on a council estate in Spotland, Mr Waugh attended Meanwood Primary School, Redbrook Middle School and Oulder Hill Community School in Rochdale before going to university and, later, into a career in journalism.
In the session he set out the Government’s plans for technical education, including new V-levels and T-levels and new pathways for 14 to 19-year-olds, and answered questions on apprenticeships, home-to-school transport and support for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The day also brought one of his first significant announcements as a minister, as the Government published its response to a consultation on stronger school food standards in England.
Speaking at the despatch box on school food, Mr Waugh said:
“The updated standards that we have announced today will ensure that school food is delicious, nutritious and practical for schools. I was proud to see Bite Back and a range of sector leaders welcome our standards, and I thank them all for the hard work they do to help schools achieve what we want.”
On apprenticeships and technical education, he said:
“The Prime Minister rightly says that we should be focusing on problem solving rather than point scoring. Given that the right hon. Gentleman mentioned apprenticeship starts, it would be remiss of me not to point out that they have gone up by 8.7% under this Government, whereas apprenticeship starts collapsed under the last Government since 2020.”