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Further Education and Training Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 8: 8: Clause 4, page 4, line 11, at end insert ““, including— (i) local area agreements approved under section 82 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, and (ii) local improvement targets as defined in section 83 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, which have been prepared by any responsible local authority where the area of authority falls within the area of the order made under subsection (1);”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, I shallspeak also to Amendments Nos. 9, 21 and 22, which are grouped with Amendment No. 8. Amendments Nos. 8 and 9 are similar to Amendments Nos. 20 and 21 proposed by these Benches in Grand Committee. They would insert a new section in the Learning and Skills Act 2000 enabling the Learning and Skills Council to work with city region councils, which develop their own labour market strategies, as in the case of London, covered elsewhere in the Bill. The first amendment would ensure that any such strategy took account of local area agreements and local improvement targets. The second amendment relates to consultations which should be carried out in formulating such strategies and asks that they should include not only the responsible local authorities but also partner authorities working with them. If this duty is not placed on the new strategic body, there is a danger that conflicting strategies will emerge to the detriment of learners in the area and the effectiveness of the programmes. The Minister was reluctant to burden the Bill with this detail and claimed that the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill, which is currently passing through another place, will cover these matters. His reassurances have not convinced the Local Government Association, which has asked us to lay this amendment again to indicate the strength of its feeling on the matter. Can the Minister assure the House that the new regional strategic body would not be able to make decisions without regard to these agreements and targets? Amendments Nos. 21 and 22 have not appeared previously in the Marshalled List. They would ensure that the Learning and Skills Council gave active regard to representations from the local authority when considering either the establishment or dissolution of a further education corporation and that it provided those authorities with written information and reasons for such decisions. Councils have duties with regard to schools and entitlements and options for pupils over the age of 14, and they have a strategic lead with regard to 14 to 19 education. They also have duties to fulfil every child’s educational potential under the Education and Inspections Act 2006, and they share responsibility for monitoring admissions, planning sufficient places and building schools for the future. All those responsibilities will be impacted by LSC decisions to open or close colleges of further education. The LSC therefore must exercise its powers to reorganise colleges in close consultation with local authorities. I beg to move.