Clause 164
Education and Inspections Bill
4:00 pm

Jim Knight (Minister of State, Department for Education and Skills; South Dorset, Labour)

On a point of order. I would like to make one or two comments, largely of thanks, Mr. Cook, first of all to yourself and to Mr. Chope. Although I have only been a member of the Committee for what feels like a fairly long week, I have very much enjoyed serving under the wise stewardship of the two Chairmen of the Committee. I would like to thank you, along with the members of the Committee, who have made me very welcome.

In the past six happy weeks, which I am sure that everyone has enjoyed, 52 hours and 45 minutes of excellent debate has been had, eight hours and 40 minutes more than provided by the programme motion, including the two evening sittings and the extra day’s sitting. Out of 637 amendments tabled for the Bill, only 27—until these few this afternoon—have been knifed. We have had full and wide-ranging debate on the crucial parts of the Bill dealing with the role of local authorities, school organisation trusts and admissions, and more than four hours on clause 61, on the curriculum. Of those clauses knifed, until this afternoon all had previously been scrutinised in the House. We have accepted, either fully or in principle, six Opposition amendments. We have responded to concerns from my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North. We have made good on our commitments on Second Reading. We have published a draft skeleton code on admissions. We have sent to the Committee more than 40 separate sets of draft guidance, illustrative regulations and explanations.

Parliamentary scrutiny is a wonderful thing. I hope that hon. Members on both sides of the Committee will agree that the Bill has been well and truly scrutinised. I thank them for their time. I thank my officials, the Bill team, the Hansard reporters—who have had to work hard and long hours—and all the staff of the House who have helped us in our  deliberations. Thank you very much. I would also like to thank the Opposition, who have been wonderful.

Nick Gibb (Shadow Minister (Schools), Education; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, Conservative)

Further to that point of order, Mr. Cook. I, too, add my thanks to you and Mr. Chope for the excellent way in which you have chaired the Committee proceedings. If I may say so, they have been relaxed and firm, and we have been able to have a full debate on all the issues that Committee members have raised. I also thank my hon. Friends, particularly my hon. Friend the Member for South Holland and The Deepings, who has brought to the Committee not only his vast intellect, but his vast dining arrangements and a sense of style and humour.

I thank the Opposition Whip, my hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford (Mr. Evennett), for keeping us all here since 28 March, for which we are all grateful, and for his support and encouragement. I also thank my hon. Friends the Members for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison), for Reading, East (Mr. Wilson) and for Mid-Bedfordshire for their important contributions and support.

My hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Bedfordshire has clearly influenced the Minister, for whom it would appear she is very fond, on the important concerns of parents of children with special educational needs, and I hope that this will be the beginning of an important cross-party relationship to address the real concern that children with SEN should have appropriate educational provision.

I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough for his perspective on issues in the Bill. We did not always agree, but we agreed more often than not. He brought to the Committee his long experience as a politician and a political thinker, as well as his seniority as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. It cannot have been easy combining those responsibilities with being a member of the Committee.

I extend my thanks to the Government Whip, who has had his own challenges to deal with because of a virus infection. He has been considerate in his approach to the Opposition. I thank all three Ministers for their courteous and considered responses to our amendments. I also thank Labour and Liberal Members for their contribution to the debate.

Finally, I would like to thank the Clerk for his efficiency in running the Committee. With over 560 amendments and 100 new clauses, I am sure that it was not an easy task, but he has always been open and helpful with advice. I also thank Hansard staff for their diligence.

This has been an enjoyable and unusual Committee dealing with a highly controversial and high-profile Bill, which is supported by both main parties, particularly the Members on the Labour and Conservative Front Benches. I look forward to the final stages of the Bill on 23 and 24 May. We shall carefully scrutinise any further Government amendments at that stage, but we look forward to supporting the Bill and ensuring that, despite internal Labour party problems, this important education Bill finds its way on to the statute book.

Sarah Teather (Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Education & Skills; Brent East, Liberal Democrat)

Further to that point of order, Mr. Cook. I add my thanks and those of my team to you and your co-Chair, Mr. Chope, and I congratulate the new Minister on very ably picking up his brief in a very short time. I assume that he has been ably facilitated by an excellent team of civil servants who have spent many hours briefing him over the weekend. I congratulate him on doing a very good job at short notice.

I pay tribute to the right hon. Member forRedditch (Jacqui Smith), who formidably led forthe Government in the earlier sittings of theCommittee, and to the Under-Secretary for dealing comprehensively with many of our concerns. I pay tribute to the hard work of my own team, who have been a wonderful support to me as a brand new spokesperson; I could not possibly have got through  the Bill without them. My hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Dorset and North Poole, in particular, has brought great expertise and knowledge of children’s issues to bear throughout the proceedings.

I thank the Clerk for his great patience in dealing with us and aiding us in the drafting of amendments. I look forward to Report stage, where we shall scrutinise the amendments introduced by the Government and consider our position carefully. I look forward to the debates on 23 and 24 May.

Frank Cook (Stockton North, Labour)

I thank hon. Members for their kind comments.