My honourable friend the Minister of State for Schools and Learners (Vernon Coaker) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. Strong accountability is essential if we are to help every child to succeed. The Expert Group on Assessment reported that high levels of school accountability are beneficial for everyone who...

My honourable friend the Minister of State for Schools and Learners (Vernon Coaker) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. Strong accountability is essential if we are to help every child to succeed. The Expert Group on Assessment reported that high levels of school accountability are beneficial for everyone who...

Last December, Lord Sutherland completed his independent inquiry into the delivery of national curriculum tests in 2008. On the 16 December I laid a copy of his report before the House and made a Statement accepting all his recommendations in full. Lord Sutherland’s report made recommendations covering the Qualifications and...

Last December, Lord Sutherland completed his independent inquiry into the delivery of national curriculum tests in 2008. On the 16 December I laid a copy of his report before the House and made a Statement accepting all his recommendations in full. Lord Sutherland’s report made recommendations covering the Qualifications and...

My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Schools and Learners (Jim Knight) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I should like to update the House on the figures that have previously been quoted in regard to the delivery of education maintenance allowances (EMA). In my Statement of...

My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Schools and Learners (Jim Knight) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. I should like to update the House on the figures that have previously been quoted in regard to the delivery of education maintenance allowances (EMA). In my Statement of...

My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Schools and Learners (Jim Knight) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. Ensuring that learners are able to access education and training post-16 is a key priority for this Government. I would like to update the House on the current situation...

My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Schools and Learners (Jim Knight) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. Ensuring that learners are able to access education and training post-16 is a key priority for this Government. I would like to update the House on the current situation...

My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families (Beverley Hughes MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The then Secretary of State for Education and Skills entered into a two-year contract with Serco Ltd in October 2006 for support for the development of...

My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families (Beverley Hughes MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The then Secretary of State for Education and Skills entered into a two-year contract with Serco Ltd in October 2006 for support for the development of...

We have some queries about these amendments. As a general principle, it is appropriate for the local authority which receives payments to have control over those sums and to use them for relevant local purposes. Any transfer of the sums to the Secretary of State surely would require additional administration...

We have some queries about these amendments. As a general principle, it is appropriate for the local authority which receives payments to have control over those sums and to use them for relevant local purposes. Any transfer of the sums to the Secretary of State surely would require additional administration...

moved Amendments Nos. 163 to 166: 163: Clause 51, page 28, line 30, leave out subsection (3) and insert— ““(3) The following provisions apply in relation to employment as a relevant member of the House of Commons staff as they apply in relation to other employment— (a) sections 19 to...

moved Amendments Nos. 163 to 166: 163: Clause 51, page 28, line 30, leave out subsection (3) and insert— ““(3) The following provisions apply in relation to employment as a relevant member of the House of Commons staff as they apply in relation to other employment— (a) sections 19 to...

I thank the Minister for his response. I take note of what he has said. Will the Minister copy to us the letter that was sent from the other place? Once again communications do not seem to have been that good, and I regret to say that I have not...

I thank the Minister for his response. I take note of what he has said. Will the Minister copy to us the letter that was sent from the other place? Once again communications do not seem to have been that good, and I regret to say that I have not...

The noble Baroness, Lady Verma, wishes to probe on the range of advice and guidance to be provided. I can give her a full description by pointing her toward the comprehensive new quality standards for information, advice and guidance which, over 17 pages, set out in detail the information, advice...

The noble Baroness, Lady Verma, wishes to probe on the range of advice and guidance to be provided. I can give her a full description by pointing her toward the comprehensive new quality standards for information, advice and guidance which, over 17 pages, set out in detail the information, advice...

moved Amendment No. 175A: 175A: Clause 55, page 31, line 13, leave out subsection (2) The noble Baroness said: I wish to speak also to Amendments Nos. 176A and 181A. I originally tabled Amendment No. 175A to draw attention to the micro-management element of Clause 55. Clause 54 makes it...

moved Amendment No. 175A: 175A: Clause 55, page 31, line 13, leave out subsection (2) The noble Baroness said: I wish to speak also to Amendments Nos. 176A and 181A. I originally tabled Amendment No. 175A to draw attention to the micro-management element of Clause 55. Clause 54 makes it...

I also thank the Minister for his response, to which I listened carefully. However, I remain unconvinced that these provisions will satisfy the future demands imposed on Connexions, particularly as regards advice for young people with special needs, as my noble friend Lady Perry and the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp,...

I also thank the Minister for his response, to which I listened carefully. However, I remain unconvinced that these provisions will satisfy the future demands imposed on Connexions, particularly as regards advice for young people with special needs, as my noble friend Lady Perry and the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp,...

I also cannot resist rising to the bait of the noble Baroness’s perplexity at this subsection. Having read it through three times myself I am reminded of that little conundrum where a man standing in front of a picture says: "““Brothers and sisters have I none, but this man’s father...

I also cannot resist rising to the bait of the noble Baroness’s perplexity at this subsection. Having read it through three times myself I am reminded of that little conundrum where a man standing in front of a picture says: "““Brothers and sisters have I none, but this man’s father...

We have a great deal of sympathy with the intentions of the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp. The amendments remove the unfettered power of the Secretary of State to issue directions to local education authorities to fulfil their obligations under Clause 54(1) to provide support for young adults with learning difficulties....

We have a great deal of sympathy with the intentions of the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp. The amendments remove the unfettered power of the Secretary of State to issue directions to local education authorities to fulfil their obligations under Clause 54(1) to provide support for young adults with learning difficulties....

moved Amendment No. 169: 169: Clause 54, page 30, line 9, leave out ““services”” and insert ““information, advice and guidance about education and career opportunities”” The noble Baroness said: If we are to guide young people in the right direction, we must be explicit about the nature of that guidance....

moved Amendment No. 169: 169: Clause 54, page 30, line 9, leave out ““services”” and insert ““information, advice and guidance about education and career opportunities”” The noble Baroness said: If we are to guide young people in the right direction, we must be explicit about the nature of that guidance....

I shall speak to Amendments Nos. 171, 174 and 175 in this group. Amendment No. 171 picks up the points made by the noble Baroness, Lady Morris, about special educational needs. We discussed these at some length. The evidence from authorities such as the Prince’s Trust and Barnardo’s which was...

I shall speak to Amendments Nos. 171, 174 and 175 in this group. Amendment No. 171 picks up the points made by the noble Baroness, Lady Morris, about special educational needs. We discussed these at some length. The evidence from authorities such as the Prince’s Trust and Barnardo’s which was...

I want briefly to express my support for these amendments, and I have added my name to Amendment No. 170. We should remind ourselves that young people with special educational needs form a high proportion of those who drop off the edge of the world, so to speak, at the...

I want briefly to express my support for these amendments, and I have added my name to Amendment No. 170. We should remind ourselves that young people with special educational needs form a high proportion of those who drop off the edge of the world, so to speak, at the...

I hope that the Minister will be able to give a positive response to the thrust of these amendments. As I read Clause 55(1), unless the Secretary of State chooses to make directions, the duty is almost empty. A local education authority ““must”” make available this, that and the other...

I hope that the Minister will be able to give a positive response to the thrust of these amendments. As I read Clause 55(1), unless the Secretary of State chooses to make directions, the duty is almost empty. A local education authority ““must”” make available this, that and the other...

I very much support what the noble Earl, Lord Elton, said, and the way in which he set it out. There is a huge cost in not addressing this issue much earlier. The postcode lottery aspect, as the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp, said, makes it crucial that more thought is...

I very much support what the noble Earl, Lord Elton, said, and the way in which he set it out. There is a huge cost in not addressing this issue much earlier. The postcode lottery aspect, as the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp, said, makes it crucial that more thought is...

I thank my noble friend Lord Elton for shining a spotlight directly on this issue. Noble Lords will know that I have spoken on the matter previously and that I firmly believe, as do many Members of the Committee, that too many children have learning difficulties that go undiagnosed. Such...

I thank my noble friend Lord Elton for shining a spotlight directly on this issue. Noble Lords will know that I have spoken on the matter previously and that I firmly believe, as do many Members of the Committee, that too many children have learning difficulties that go undiagnosed. Such...