FIFTEEN MPs — including North Cornwall Conservative Scott Mann — spoke during a debate in Westminster Hall last week and urged the Government to reconsider the changes to school term time holiday policy introduced in September 2013.

Led by Steve Double, MP for St Austell and Newquay, the debate was called after a petition, asking for parents to be allowed to take their children out of school for up to two weeks, received more than 120,000 signatures.

Clearly an issue particularly relevant for families and the tourism sector in the South West, three Cornish MPs attended and spoke out against the policy, which fines parents for spending quality family time with their children during term time — Mr Double, Scott Mann and St Ives MP Derek Thomas.

Mr Double said in his opening statement: “We have heard a great deal about ‘fairness’ in recent years. Sadly this policy is blatantly unfair to a number of groups of people.

“Firstly it is unfair to those who are unable to take holidays during holiday times.

“This includes many people who work in tourism. Many small tourism-related businesses in Cornwall are too busy to allow staff to take holiday during the peak season. Many are owner-run businesses and have to make money while people are on holiday and cannot afford to close during the season.

“In fact the introduction of this policy has made this aspect even worse as the season is now concentrated into the six or seven weeks of the school summer holidays, placing even greater demand on these businesses during the peak season and making it even more difficult to allow staff to take leave.”

Mr Mann said:“I very much support calls for two weeks’ term leave for children. The current policy sees our economy losing millions, families having to go without a holiday because they can’t pay the inflated rates, and children missing out on invaluable educational experiences.

“I also do not believe it is for the State to tell parents when they can and cannot take their children on holiday. Parents and children in my constituency do occasionally need a holiday when they can afford it, and this two-week policy would allow that while making sure attendances are still high.

“I have spoken with parents who can no longer take their children to events such as Padstow ‘Obby ‘Oss day, which is an iconic piece of Cornish culture.”

Craig Langman, chairman of campaign group Parents Want a Say, said: “Families across the UK are finding it much harder to afford family holidays together during peak times, and the amendments to school holiday policy have exasperated the situation.

“This is why we believe that head teachers should able to grant all children who have a good attendance record, up to two weeks holiday per year to enjoy quality time with their parents.”