Education and Inspections Bill
8:00 pm
Nick Gibb (Shadow Minister (Schools), Education; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, Conservative)
I am grateful for that response from the Minister and I am reassured by some things. The external evaluation for choice advisers is a useful measure to ensure that the quality of advice being given is good. I am also reassured by what she had to say about the training of choice advisers and by her comments regarding standards for teachers. I understand why they are set out in secondary legislation, but in this Committee we can only table amendments to primary legislation. I was reassured by her mention of the current positions under review, and I was content with what she had to say about the new words concerning professional standards in relation to children with special educational needs and disabilities.
However, I am not yet convinced by the Minister’s response concerning the requirement in amendment No. 47 that choice advisers give full information regarding the provision of special schools available in the geographical area. Committee members have seen too many examples of parents being denied this information. It will send a clear message if we include in the Bill the provisions in amendment No. 47. I was particularly struck by the real-life experience outlined by my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Bedfordshire (Mrs. Dorries). In light of that, and other experiences from outside the House of which I have been made aware, I would like to press the amendment to a Division.