I am sure, Mr. Bercow, that you wish me to address clause 13 rather than go back to debate clause 12, but clearly I disagree with the hon. Gentleman about the importance of clause 12.

The purpose of clause 13 is to ensure that learning providers tell Connexions when a young person drops out of learning. We want that to be straightforward and a light burden on the learning provider. For instance, a large specialist college is likely to take young people from a number of local authorities and that is why we only require them to notify their local Connexions office. In his evidence, the principal of Bedford college said, I think, that he worked with as many as 100 local authorities. Once a young person drops out, the Connexions  office where the young person lives is responsible for intervening to provide support. Therefore amendment No. 138 makes it clear that the Connexions service that is notified that a young person has dropped out must ensure that the information is passed on to the Connexions service where the young person lives. Without the amendment it would be possible for a 16 or 17-year-old to drop out of learning and not receive support—at the time when they needed it the most—even though a Connexions office would be aware that they had dropped out. The amendment formalises existing procedures for the operation of the Connexions database and service.

The remaining amendments are technical ones, necessary for the provision to have the desired effect. Amendment No. 138 makes clear the wording that describes whether the local authority provides the Connexions service itself or through arrangements with another body.

Amendments Nos. 139 and 140 make the reference in clause 13 to clause 54 more specific. They refer to particular subsections of clause 54: subsection (1), which is where the local authorities’ duty to provide the Connexions service is set out, and subsection (3)(b), which provides for local authorities to make Connexions services available by providing them themselves or by making arrangements with other parties.

The final amendment, No. 141, makes it clear that “services” in clause 13, line 19, page 7, refers to Connexions services as a whole. I therefore commend the amendments to the Committee.