Clause 10
Education and Skills Bill
1:45 pm
John Hayes (Shadow Minister, Innovation, Universities and Skills; South Holland and The Deepings, Conservative)
You certainly know, Mr. Bercow, and the Minister may know of my interest in matters to do with special educational needs and disability. Therefore, I will not waste this opportunity to say a word about those interests in relation to the amendment which, I think, does the hon. Member for Yeovil great justice. It is right that at this juncture we should consider the particular challenges facing employers and young people who have disabilities or special educational needs. The two challenges above all others are the attitudes of employers and young people. Many of the barriers associated with getting young people with special educational needs and disabilities into employment are due to people’s belief in their own potential. That can be greatly assisted by the right kind of advice, guidance and support.
I have seen at first hand—as I am sure the Minister and other members of the Committee will have done—how young people with the most profound challenges can be supported in employment. My hon. Friend the Member for Upminster is a doughty champion of young people in her constituency with those challenges. She was kind enough to introduce me to the realistic opportunities for supported employment project, which she never misses an opportunity to champion in the House—I hope that I am not stealing her thunder. That project takes people with very profound difficulties and, using appropriate levels of support, places them in work and gives training opportunities which, until seen, one would scarcely believe possible. That one is an exemplar, but there are projects like that up and down the country that must and will form part of making the Bill a success.
The hon. Member for Yeovil rightly pointed out that the number of young disabled people who are not in education, employment or training is a shockingly high 27 per cent. If we are to place new duties on individuals, employers and local authorities, we must be clear about the support and resources that will be necessary to change attitudes both of young people, who need to be enlivened and have their personal aspirations rejuvenated, and of employers who must know what is expected of them to make those opportunities possible.
The hon. Gentleman quoted a number of organisations, and he could have quoted many more, which support the thrust of what he said. I have had discussions with a number of organisations representing disabled people that share his concern that the Bill should be specific about the duties on local authorities. Knowing your personal commitment and interest in these matters, Mr. Bercow, I know that you will take a great interest, as I do, in this part of our considerations.
The amendment is a useful addition to our consideration and it may be something that the Government want to reflect on further. Again, it concerns sufficient appropriate provision. This word “appropriate” is coming to punctuate our considerations. It seems that “meaningful” and “appropriate” are sometimes more useful ways of expressing this kind of opportunity than “relevant” because, as I said earlier, “relevant” is a rather loaded term.
On that basis, I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s contribution and I look forward to the Minister’s response. I hope that the Bill, for all its faults—we all have our doubts about it—will, at the very least, act as a catalyst for engagement with training and employment on the part of young, challenged, disabled and disadvantaged young people.