Clause 73

9:15 am

Jim Knight (Minister of State (Schools and Learners), Department for Children, Schools and Families; South Dorset, Labour)

I beg to move amendment 290, in clause 73, page 45, line 6, leave out ‘from time to time’.

Christopher Chope (Christchurch, Conservative)

With this it will be convenient to discuss Government amendments 293 to 304.

Jim Knight (Minister of State (Schools and Learners), Department for Children, Schools and Families; South Dorset, Labour)

Throughout the Bill there are references to continuing powers; for example, the Secretary of State’s power to issue guidance in clause 73 or Ofqual’s power to revise criteria for recognition in clause 130.  The amendments are minor and technical drafting ones, ensuring consistency in all references to continuing powers in the Bill.

John Hayes (Shadow Minister, Innovation, Universities and Skills; South Holland and The Deepings, Conservative)

I want to raise a simple matter. The essence of the amendments is to create greater clarity by the removal of “from time to time” in respect of guidance issued by the Secretary of State. I imagine that the original drafting was to create flexibility. If we are to substitute that for clarity, it would be helpful for the Minister to explain why. Is it that the guidance issued by the Secretary of State will be so frequent that “from time to time” is an inappropriate description? Or is it that the Secretary of State will be issuing guidance so rarely that “from time to time” is an overestimate?

Jim Knight (Minister of State (Schools and Learners), Department for Children, Schools and Families; South Dorset, Labour)

This is about the consistency that we need to create in references to continuing powers in the Bill. There is nothing more to it than that. There is no change in thinking about how often the Secretary of State will issue guidance. Yes, to some extent we want to have consistency throughout the Bill in how we refer to the issuing of guidance for the sake of clarity.