Mr Ivan Lewis (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Education and Skills; Bury South, Labour)

I cannot accept that last comment. There is no contradiction between the new power to innovate and clause 82. I shall clarify the power to innovate. If an individual school's definition in its application to the Secretary of State of how it would like to innovate is related to key stage 4 curriculum changes, and the application meets all the relevant criteria and qualifies for the right to have access to the power to innovate, there would be no legislative barrier under the Bill that would prevent a school from putting such an application before the Secretary of State. As for that individual school's request, there would be no requirement for an order to go through the House. We shall enable that process to take place under the power to innovate. There would be no such requirement for each school.

Perhaps I can outline the whole picture for the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough and refer to the wider changes that will follow the publication of the document in respect of the 14-19 framework and a full and open consultation process. As the hon. Gentleman said, while people have not yet read the detail of the publication, there is a significant consensus about its principles and objectives. Both sides of the House and the world of education have been waiting for a long time for a distinct 14-19 phase of education and the opportunity that that will provide.

The curriculum for key stage 4 could be changed universally for all schools only under an affirmative resolution, whereby a debate would have to take place in both Houses. As for the power to innovate, the Bill will give an individual school the right to apply to the Secretary of State and that application will be focused specifically on key stage 4. Does that help the hon. Gentleman?

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