Clause 31 - General functions of the Chief Inspector
Childcare Bill
6:30 pm
Nick Gibb (Shadow Minister, Education; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, Conservative)
I beg to move amendment No. 15, in page 15, line 21, leave out subsection (5) and insert—
‘(5)Regulations may confer further functions on the Chief Inspector relating to early years provision or later years provision in England.’.
I will not detain the Committee long given the hour and that it is dark outside. The amendment goes back to the debate about regulation and the powers of the executive order. It merely tries to replace subsection (5), which gives the Secretary of State the power by order to extend the number of functions for Ofsted and replaces that with a regulation that can be prayed against or debated under the affirmative procedure. That will mean we have a chance to debate whether we extend the remit of Ofsted. There will be serious concerns if Ofsted’s role extends too far beyond the educational sphere.