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Special Educational Needs (Information) Bill

Many of us believe that local authorities are in an unacceptably powerful position as the bodies that assess, decide on, pay for and—for the most part, through in-house services—provide the services that SEN children are designated to receive. Given that the Children, Schools and Families Committee—then the Education and Skills Committee—produced a compelling report in summer 2006 that, among other things, recommended a separation between the assessment of need and the funding of provision and that we await the Government’s reply to a follow-up, even more detailed report, does the hon. Gentleman agree that there is something to be said for that separation, so that the in-built conflict of interest is removed?