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Special Educational Needs (Information) Bill

It is the job of the Secretary of State to do that, and it is right that he should do so. Moreover, in the Education and Skills Bill, a general well-being duty has been introduced in relation to children's welfare. It is therefore appropriate that it should be the Secretary of State who performs that role. I do not know whether the hon. Gentleman is suggesting this, but the Secretary of State is not trying to hide anything; he is making a judgment about how best to exercise his duty to promote the welfare of children in the broadest sense by publishing that information. I do not want to shut down completely the possibility that the Secretary of State may publish the sort of report envisaged by the amendment. As hon. Members will know, we have asked Ofsted to review progress in special educational needs next year. If Her Majesty's chief inspector, having conducted that review, recommends that we publish the sort of report proposed in amendment, I undertake to consider that recommendation very carefully. I hope that in the light of what I have said that the hon. Member for Mid-Dorset and North Poole will not press the amendment further. I will conclude simply by reiterating my congratulations to my hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West on the Bill, and I wish it godspeed in its remaining stages.