Schedule 2
Education and Inspections Bill
4:45 pm
Nick Gibb (Shadow Minister (Schools), Education; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, Conservative)
I am delighted that some of the amendments take us back to the vision of the White Paper, which is the driving force behind most of our amendments. However, I have a few points to raise regarding amendments Nos. 109, 114, 117, and 122.
The Minister explained that amendment No. 109 does not correct a drafting error. I assume, therefore, that the phrase “of a prescribed kind” in paragraph 8(4)(c) of the schedule was originally intended to be included, as I would have expected, so that where schools are established under the procedures inclauses 9 or 10—that is, outside a competition—local authorities’ powers to alter proposals would be more limited than with proposals under clause 7, which involves proposals that local authorities have invited. If that is the case, why has the Minister changed her position? Why does she now want to give local authorities more say over proposals for new schools that they might not have had any involvement in initiating, unless the procedure was according toclause 9(1), in which case they would have to seek special permission to initiate from the Secretary of State? A response to that point would be extremely helpful.
Will the Minister confirm that the effect of amendment No. 114 together with amendment No. 117 would be to prevent the objections to school closures of people other than those listed resulting in a referral to the schools adjudicator?
On amendment No. 122, will the Minister explain why paragraph 14 of the schedule will not be included in the amended list in paragraph 18(3)(a)?