Westminster Life: Breaking down barriers to opportunity

This week in Parliament, we welcomed landmark reforms aimed at transforming child protection and education across our country. Labour’s new ‘Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill’ represents the most significant overhaul of children’s welfare and schooling standards in a generation, and I am proud to support it wholeheartedly.

At its core, this Bill addresses three key areas: raising education standards, safeguarding children, and strengthening regulation. It introduces common-sense reforms designed to place more qualified teachers in classrooms and deliver a cutting-edge curriculum that equips our children for the future. Crucially, it also recognises the financial pressures faced by families today. Through long overdue measures such as Labour’s free breakfast programme, parents will no longer have to worry about their child going to school hungry.

Because this Bill is about more than just education—it is about safeguarding children’s welfare in every aspect of their lives. It strengthens protections for vulnerable children in care or those leaving care, tightens regulations on care workers and educational institutions, and robustly addresses teacher misconduct. These measures are essential if we are serious about giving every child the secure foundation they deserve.

And this Bill does not stand alone, Peterborough is also a hotspot for youth unemployment.

Around the country 1 in 8, young people are not in education, employment or training. This is bad for the young people involved, but also bad for our economy. I’m really pleased that Peterborough is going to pilot Labour’s Youth Guarantee initiative—a commitment that every young person will have the chance either to earn or learn. Under this ambitious programme, Job Centres will merge with a revitalised careers service, apprenticeship funding will be reformed, and clear pathways into secure employment will be created.

Recognising these concerns—and our city’s immense potential—Peterborough has been chosen as a £5 million pilot area under Labour’s Youth Guarantee programme. This targeted investment will enable local partnerships with key institutions such as Peterborough College and ARU Peterborough to thrive. Skills England will play a vital role here too: connecting young people directly with employers and training opportunities while addressing critical skills gaps in sectors like engineering, construction, and technology.

As Chair of Parliament’s All-Party Group on Apprenticeships, I have witnessed first-hand how apprenticeships transform lives – from world-class engineers at Caterpillar to talented apprentices at local firms like Baker Perkins or Codem Composites. Apprenticeships not only offer young people valuable skills but also provide businesses with the talent they need to grow.

Peterborough has enormous potential as an industrial heartland for our region—but unlocking this potential depends entirely upon investing in our young people today. Our mission is clear: where you come from should never determine where you end up in life.

Labour’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill represents a decisive step towards breaking down barriers to opportunity—for every child here in Peterborough and across Britain.