---

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

Yes, my Lords, but in the end we see the words "have regard to" at the end of the section. In other words, local education authorities can completely ignore it and do whatever they want, as long as they have read the guidance first. A minor indiscretion can trigger this power from an LEA’s point of view. An infringement of any Act of Parliament can do it. What sixth-form college does not infringe an Act every year? We all do so. There is so much legislation that you cannot but fall foul of a minor provision in some Act every year. Most of these things one glosses over, puts right or never notices, but any change can trigger the right of LEAs to intervene. Because Section 56G only requires the LEA to "have regard to", there is nothing to stop them. The only remit of the Learning and Skills Council was to look after the funding and quality of sixth-form colleges. It had no other interests that might bring it into conflict with the policies being pursued by those colleges.