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Education and Inspections Bill

moved Amendment No. 132: After Clause 115, insert the following new clause- ““ADULT LEARNING DIRECTOR (1) One of the persons appointed to the staff of the Office under paragraph 6 of Schedule 11 is to be appointed as Adult Learning Director. (2) The Adult Learning Director is to have functions in relation to the performance by the Chief Inspector of functions relating to- (a) the inspection of employer- and work-based learning, (b) contacts with private businesses, sector skills councils and other bodies involved in employer- and work-based learning to ensure best practice in inspection, and (c) core entitlements for 19 to 25 year olds. (3) Any report made under section 117 shall contain a report by the Adult Learning Director on the performance of his duties under this section, which shall include information on the extent to which links with, and understanding of the needs of, employers have been developed.”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, I am sorry that there has been no further progress on the form of an amendment to clarify both the position that we wish and the position accepted in principle by the Minister in Committee. I will not detain noble Lords for longer than is necessary. The amendment performs a single task—it provides for a distinct inspectorate body to ensure that standards are upheld in educational provision for 16 to 19 year-olds. It would ensure that the pathways from vocational to academic are preserved and can be improved on. I remind the Minister of his commitment in Committee. He stated that, "““we do not expect there to be any drive to uniformity. Different sectors have different needs, different approaches will remain, and we shall expect these to be reflected in the new Ofsted arrangements””.—[Official Report, 25/7/06; col. 1711.]" It seems that we are in agreement, and I press the Minister to stick to that commitment by accepting our amendment. I beg to move.