Clause 135 - Wales: provision in higher education
Education Bill
4:15 pm
Mr Don Touhig (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Welsh Office; Islwyn, Labour/Co-operative)
I beg to move amendment No. 374, in page 81, leave out line 44.
As no institutions maintained by local authorities in Wales offer higher education courses, the amendment removes an unnecessary provision and I commend it to the Committee.
Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough, Liberal Democrat)
What will happen if local authorities want to offer such course in the future?
Mr Don Touhig (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Welsh Office; Islwyn, Labour/Co-operative)
I suggest that we cross that bridge when we come to it.
Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate and Knaresborough, Liberal Democrat)
With respect, that will not be possible, as the bridge will have been burnt.
Mr. Touhig: I can only say that there are no institutions that offer these courses at the present time. The clause includes powers on these matters that were given to the Assembly. This is an unnecessary provision at present.
Amendment agreed to.
Clause 135, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 136 ordered to stand part of the Bill.