MAKE CHATTER MATTER CAMPAIGN

Early day motion 252, tabled 22 November 2006 by Tim Loughton (Conservative). Signed by 83 members.

That this House notes with concern that one in 10 children have a communication disability and that as many as half of all children entering primary school have impoverished speech and language skills; congratulates I CAN, the charity that helps children to communicate, on the launch of its Make Chatter Matter campaign with the support of BT; welcomes the campaign's focus on ensuring that children's communication skills are at the core of children's policy development; notes the campaign's aims of informed parents, skilled staff, communication-friendly early-years settings and specialist provision; and urges the Government to put communication at the heart of the children's policy agenda, providing families and early years workers with the knowledge and skills to support all children.

Signatures by party: Labour 30, Liberal Democrat 23, Conservative 21, DUP 6, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, UUP 1.