Clause 41 - The learning and development requirements
Childcare Bill
1:30 pm
Annette Brooke (Shadow Minister, Education & Skills; Mid Dorset and North Poole, Liberal Democrat)
If I may comment on the actual amendments—[Interruption.] I am beginning to wonder whether I am on the right page. I hope that the Minister will agree with me. I want to say something quite different from the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) and I believe that I am addressing his amendment No. 114.
I took the amendment to relate to assessment procedures rather than attachment theory and I intended to ask a question when we reached clause 42. If I may do that now, I will not need to speak on clause 42, which refers to
“A learning and development order specifying assessment arrangements.”
How much consultation will there be on appropriate assessment methods? “Appropriately” is a good insertion, and it ties in with my question on clause 42.
We are all concerned about those unfortunate newspaper articles following the publication of the Childcare Bill, in which some commentators suggested that it meant league tables for babies. We can say more in Committee to clarify the matter for those people who do not interpret the Bill in the same way. Those issues have to be addressed.
Amendment No. 115 is important.