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Further Education and Training Bill [HL]

The noble Baroness is so fair-minded that she often gives the replies to her own queries when she raises them. She rightly said that the UK Government’s policy to transfer legislative competence to the Assembly, as set out in the Better Governance for Wales White Paper published in June 2005, indicates that the Order in Council is intended to deal with the issue of there being no suitable Bill in the Government’s programme to address the Assembly’s needs. Of course, this constitutes a suitable Bill to address those needs. With regard to the transfer of the legislative competency, the answer that the noble Baroness suggested is in fact correct. This is an England and Wales Bill and, therefore, discussing these provisions in this context is entirely appropriate. If these provisions were left to the Order in Council route and removed from the Bill, not only would that be contrary to the Government’s policy but we would have to return at a later stage to a discussion on the same issues covered by the scope of this Bill. We therefore regard it as good parliamentary management that it is done at this stage in the context of an England and Wales Bill. The noble Baroness also raised the issue of consultation in Wales on the further education policy. If I may say so, I took her remarks to be directed to the National Assembly as much as to myself. I am sure that, when the Members of the National Assembly come to discuss this matter, they will pay careful attention to her remarks and, implicitly, the views and concerns of her noble friend. Perhaps I may set out what processes are in train at the moment. Consultation on the future of further education in Wales will be carried out as a consequence of the independent review of the mission and purpose of further education launched on 22 November last year by the Assembly Minister for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills. The report of the independent review will be published in autumn this year, and policy direction for further education in Wales will be informed by the outcomes of the independent review. Taking the opportunity to gain broad framework powers for the Assembly within the clauses of this Bill will ensure that, once the review is completed, the necessary authority and mechanisms will be in place to implement any changes that the Assembly may wish for Wales. But I stress that the Assembly Government have an independent review taking place and will ensure that proper processes are observed in taking forward reforms in this area.