Articles of Government

Orders of the Day — Education Reform Bill – in the House of Commons at 5:30 pm on 24 March 1988.

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Amendments made: No. 120, in page 101, line 14, leave out 'if any'.

No. 121, in page 101, line 16, leave out 'any' and insert 'the'.

No. 122, in page 101, line 18, leave out 'any such' and insert 'the'.

No. 123, in page 101, line 22, leave out '(if any)'.—[Mr. Jackson.]

Photo of Mr Paddy Ashdown Mr Paddy Ashdown , Yeovil

On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I apologise for seeking to raise a point of order at an inappropriate moment, but the Minister, in reply to the question posed by myself and Conservative Members about a serious matter relating to the funding of further education institutions, said that the Government had answered the question with amendments Nos. 123 and 124. The Minister may have rnisunderstood the nature of his own amendments as they did not address the question about which a promise was made. You, Mr. Deputy Speaker, may agree that it might be appropriate for the Minister to give an undertaking that, if it is impossible for the correct answer to he given now, it should be given later in the form of a letter.

Mr. Jackson:

The hon. Gentleman is correct. I had misunderstood his reference. In fact, the amendments do not cover his point. The point was misunderstood and its interpretation in the Bill was a misunderstanding. It is true that the hon. Gentleman is owed a letter which should be circulated to every hon. Member on the Committee. I shall ensure that that letter is sent, and I apologise for the fact that it was not sent sooner.