Clause 40
12:00 pm
Jim Knight (Minister of State (Schools and Learners), Department for Children, Schools and Families; South Dorset, Labour)
Amendment 350 is a technical drafting amendment, consequential on amendments to clause 47. Amendments 281 and 282 ensure that the general duty on local authorities in section 13 of the Education Act 1996 Act applies to those young persons subject to detention in relevant youth accommodation. Amendment 282 also clarifies that young persons subject to a detention order will be regarded as part of the population of the local education authority area in which they are detained, for the purposes of section 13 of the 1996 Act. Those amendments will move the definition of
“subject to a learning difficulty assessment”
from proposed new section 15ZA to section 13 of the 1996 Act. The other Government amendments in the group are consequential on that change.
I understand the intention behind amendment 231. I have placed on the record our commitment to ensuring that the needs of all learners, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, are met by local authorities. A range of measures is in place to ensure that the needs of that group of learners and the provision provided to them are tracked. The client case load information system that local authorities maintain as part of Connexions enables local areas to track the activity and offers made to young people in their area, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.
All 16 and 17-year-olds who wish to continue their learning are guaranteed an offer by the end of September that meets their needs. Information is collected by my Department on the number of suitable offers that are made. We also collect information on the number of 16 and 17-year-olds not in education, employment or training, the number of young people attaining level 2 by 16 and 18, and the number attaining level 3 by 19. That supports the delivery of our public service agreement targets. Public service agreement 16 is separate and focuses on socially excluded groups and improving the employment rate for people with moderate to severe learning difficulties.
National PSAs are reflected in local areas as a series of local area agreements. The structures are therefore already in place to ensure that local authorities can be held to account for the delivery of their new duties under the Bill. As local authorities assume the new duties, they will become part of the existing outcomes-focused performance management system supported by Government offices. They will be assessed and inspected by Ofsted and other inspectorates to check on local authority performance.
Amendment 231 proposes that the Secretary of State requires local authorities to set out and submit how they intend to reduce gaps in provision. As I have said, that power is not necessary because local authorities working within their children’s trust partnerships, which are being strengthened by the Bill, already have a duty to publish a children and young people’s plan. Subject to the successful passage of the Bill, the plan will have to encompass the provision of education and training to young people. On the basis of those reassurances, I hope not only that the Committee will agree to the Government amendments, but that amendment 231 will not be pressed to a vote.