THIS week, Robert Halfon, Member of Parliament for Harlow, was recognised as the Backbencher of the Year at the 2022 Spectator Parliamentarian Awards. The award is in recognition of Mr Halfon’s work on safeguarding education during the pandemic and was presented at an event attended by the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.

Recently appointed as the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education by the Prime Minister, Mr Halfon was recognised by The Spectator for his tireless work to raise awareness of the impact of the pandemic on education in his previous role as Chair of the Commons Education Select Committee. 

As Chair of the Education Committee, Robert campaigned against school closures for the majority of pupils throughout the pandemic, which, as he has described, heralded the four horsemen of the educational apocalypse including a widening attainment gap, a rise in mental health conditions, a rise in safeguarding hazards, and a loss of life chances.  

These concerns were explored and highlighted in the Education Committee’s Report, Is the Catch Up Programme Fit For Purpose? And Robert had also introduced a Private Member’s Bill in the House of Commons to prevent any future school closures. 

Commenting on his award, Robert Halfon said, “It is an honour to have been recognised as the Backbencher of the Year at this year’s Spectator Parliamentarian Awards. I was passionately against school closures because of the damage that I felt it brought to our children

“I have campaigned in Parliament over the last year to ensure that the catch up programme is working properly and to make sure that we do everything possible to safely return the 1.7 million persistently absent children back to the classroom. I believe that children learn best in school with their friends and teachers which is why I also introduced legislation to prevent any further school closures. 

“My work on education will not stop now. The Prime Minister has asked me to be the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education at the Department for Education. I will do all I can to support Harlow schools and colleges, and those across the country, to help increase the number of students climbing the educational ladder of opportunity through higher level apprenticeships, further education and higher education.”