Clause 57
6:00 pm
John Hayes (Shadow Minister, Innovation, Universities and Skills; South Holland and The Deepings, Conservative)
We are moving ahead with some speed now, but, none the less, it is important that we hesitate to say a word or two about amendment 239, which stands in my name and that of my hon. Friends.
The purpose of the amendment is to probe the Government on the character of the Young People’s Learning Agency. By that I mean that it is the Opposition’s view that the arrangements for the funding and management of skills should be as consistent and coherent as possible. To that end, the amendment removes the words:
“there is to be a body corporate known as the Young People’s Learning Agency for England”
and replaces them with the words:
“there is to be a body which is part of the Skills Funding Agency known as the Young Person Learning Agency for England.”
The arguments for that change are set out more clearly in the debate that we are bound to have on clause 58. Essentially, we are attempting to ensure that the YPLA and the SFA work in a coherent and effective manner, and that the SFA provides an overall strategic vision while the YPLA provides the funding. The aim is to minimise the bureaucracy, the confusion, the convoluted arrangements and the incoherence that is likely to dog the Bill in its current form. We look forward to what the Minister has to say. As I have said, this is a probing amendment.