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Education and Skills Bill

I am most grateful. I was looking at something else. I have also put my name to the Motion of the noble Lord, Lord Dearing, opposing the Question that Clause 10 shall stand part of the Bill. Perhaps your Lordships know that the noble Lord cannot be here today because he has had an attack of viral bronchitis. However, on Report he very much wants to object to the clause remaining in the Bill, and I hope that that will be accepted. His view is that this is not the right time to be placing this requirement on local authorities. There will be no duty on them for a number of years, but there will be a duty, and he is keen that it should be quite firm, on local authorities to provide the facilities when the funding is transferred to them from the Learning and Skills Council. That is his view, and I hope it will be acceptable if he makes that case rather more specifically when he returns to your Lordships’ House. I particularly support what has already been said about the special needs of children who have been failed by the educational system and have failed within it, and who have not really had their needs addressed. The whole point of these various amendments, which have already been spoken to, is that they will require local authorities to take a much stronger line on this and to have a specific duty to fulfil those needs. I totally support what is being said.