218: Clause 243, page 150, line 18, leave out "at least one other relevant partner" and insert "a group of relevant partners"

218: Clause 243, page 150, line 18, leave out "at least one other relevant partner" and insert "a group of relevant partners"

My Lords, I begin by saying how much I agree with the noble Baroness, Lady O’Neill, about the need to narrow as much as possible the circumstances in which the Secretary of State would appropriately lay a determination. I also agree with her that the solution to our disputes about...

My Lords, I begin by saying how much I agree with the noble Baroness, Lady O’Neill, about the need to narrow as much as possible the circumstances in which the Secretary of State would appropriately lay a determination. I also agree with her that the solution to our disputes about...

My Lords, I join my noble friend and the Liberal Democrats in recommending these amendments—or, at the very least, the spirit of these amendments. With all the efforts that we have made to make Ofqual independent, it is enormously important that it should turn its mind to being the benchmark...

My Lords, I join my noble friend and the Liberal Democrats in recommending these amendments—or, at the very least, the spirit of these amendments. With all the efforts that we have made to make Ofqual independent, it is enormously important that it should turn its mind to being the benchmark...

My Lords, I shall speak also to Amendments 162, 166, 168 and 184. In doing so, I will refer to a number of government amendments in this group which, while welcome as a step in the right direction, do not go far enough. The issues are the level and conditions...

My Lords, I shall speak also to Amendments 162, 166, 168 and 184. In doing so, I will refer to a number of government amendments in this group which, while welcome as a step in the right direction, do not go far enough. The issues are the level and conditions...

Bottles of champagne can be very handy at all times. However, I will make one attempt here to be clear that the LGO cannot hear a complaint until the school’s governing body has first dealt with it. That is the situation with the Secretary of State now; we are transferring...

Bottles of champagne can be very handy at all times. However, I will make one attempt here to be clear that the LGO cannot hear a complaint until the school’s governing body has first dealt with it. That is the situation with the Secretary of State now; we are transferring...

I shall also speak to Amendment 219. Both amendments refer to school behaviour partnerships but I shall first say something about Amendment 219 and then I will come to Amendment 218. Under the Bill, schools are required to join together into behaviour partnerships to work together to promote good behaviour....

I shall also speak to Amendment 219. Both amendments refer to school behaviour partnerships but I shall first say something about Amendment 219 and then I will come to Amendment 218. Under the Bill, schools are required to join together into behaviour partnerships to work together to promote good behaviour....

My Lords, I will speak to Amendments 213A, 213B, 215 and 216 in this group. Following our debate in Committee, I drafted Amendments 213A and 213B to protect any teacher who seizes drugs or alcohol during an authorised search. It is important to protect teachers from any possible allegations that...

My Lords, I will speak to Amendments 213A, 213B, 215 and 216 in this group. Following our debate in Committee, I drafted Amendments 213A and 213B to protect any teacher who seizes drugs or alcohol during an authorised search. It is important to protect teachers from any possible allegations that...

My Lords, after Committee in the other place, my right honourable friend Ed Balls committed to holding a meeting with Annette Brooke, the Front-Bench spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats in the other place, to talk about the introduction of safeguarding targets along these lines. We had a meeting last week,...

My Lords, after Committee in the other place, my right honourable friend Ed Balls committed to holding a meeting with Annette Brooke, the Front-Bench spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats in the other place, to talk about the introduction of safeguarding targets along these lines. We had a meeting last week,...

172: Before Clause 140, insert the following new Clause— "Power to determine minimum requirements (1) The Secretary of State may make a determination specifying minimum requirements in respect of a specified qualification, or description of qualification, to which this section applies. (2) But the Secretary of State may make a...

172: Before Clause 140, insert the following new Clause— "Power to determine minimum requirements (1) The Secretary of State may make a determination specifying minimum requirements in respect of a specified qualification, or description of qualification, to which this section applies. (2) But the Secretary of State may make a...

My Lords, I am grateful for the noble Baroness’s attention to my Amendment 164, but I am left asking, why not? Most Bills have clauses that say exactly what my amendment says and this Bill has several. If the intention is that the Government will act in accordance with my...

My Lords, I am grateful for the noble Baroness’s attention to my Amendment 164, but I am left asking, why not? Most Bills have clauses that say exactly what my amendment says and this Bill has several. If the intention is that the Government will act in accordance with my...

The local authority, not the YPLA, is reporting this, so my question is what the control is on the local authority. Does the YPLA transmit the embargo placed by the Secretary of State or what?

The local authority, not the YPLA, is reporting this, so my question is what the control is on the local authority. Does the YPLA transmit the embargo placed by the Secretary of State or what?

161: Clause 128, page 78, line 41, at end insert— "( ) the need to ensure there are sufficient regulated qualifications to assess the National Curriculum; ( ) the need to ensure there are sufficient regulated qualifications to assess the requirements for entry into institutions of higher education"

161: Clause 128, page 78, line 41, at end insert— "( ) the need to ensure there are sufficient regulated qualifications to assess the National Curriculum; ( ) the need to ensure there are sufficient regulated qualifications to assess the requirements for entry into institutions of higher education"

My Lords, I shall comment also on other amendments in the group. It is a somewhat complicated situation given that this is entirely new material which was not discussed in Committee, let alone earlier, although Ministers have been generous in sharing some of their thinking. We are all conscious that...

My Lords, I shall comment also on other amendments in the group. It is a somewhat complicated situation given that this is entirely new material which was not discussed in Committee, let alone earlier, although Ministers have been generous in sharing some of their thinking. We are all conscious that...

My Lords, I support the amendment tabled by my noble friend Lady O’Neill, to which I have attached my name. I wish also to address government Amendment 172. We are all agreed that it crucial to protect as far as possible the independence of Ofqual. The problem with standards in...

My Lords, I support the amendment tabled by my noble friend Lady O’Neill, to which I have attached my name. I wish also to address government Amendment 172. We are all agreed that it crucial to protect as far as possible the independence of Ofqual. The problem with standards in...

I have three amendments in this group, but I shall speak to Amendment 171 separately, in its own place in the Marshalled List. That amendment is to do with the exercise of powers by Ministers and not by Ofqual and, since I want to say a fair bit on it,...

I have three amendments in this group, but I shall speak to Amendment 171 separately, in its own place in the Marshalled List. That amendment is to do with the exercise of powers by Ministers and not by Ofqual and, since I want to say a fair bit on it,...

My Lords, I shall speak to Amendments 171, 181 and 182. In Amendment 170, as I made clear in Committee, I would like to see the power of Ofqual to intervene in fee capping removed altogether. I do not believe that it is necessary; it is really not a proper...

My Lords, I shall speak to Amendments 171, 181 and 182. In Amendment 170, as I made clear in Committee, I would like to see the power of Ofqual to intervene in fee capping removed altogether. I do not believe that it is necessary; it is really not a proper...

My Lords, there are a large number of amendments in this group, and I start by recognising with gratitude—even admiration—that a great deal of work by Ministers and their officials, and, indeed, by noble Lords all around the House has gone into seeking consensus. Yet the sheer number of non-government...

My Lords, there are a large number of amendments in this group, and I start by recognising with gratitude—even admiration—that a great deal of work by Ministers and their officials, and, indeed, by noble Lords all around the House has gone into seeking consensus. Yet the sheer number of non-government...

My Lords, I wish to speak to Amendments 158 and 165. My initial inclination is to follow the line proposed by my noble friend and colleague Lady Perry to the effect that we should minimise, as far as possible, reference to fee-capping powers and so on in the legislation. If...

My Lords, I wish to speak to Amendments 158 and 165. My initial inclination is to follow the line proposed by my noble friend and colleague Lady Perry to the effect that we should minimise, as far as possible, reference to fee-capping powers and so on in the legislation. If...

My Lords, I am most grateful to the Minister and to everybody who has taken part in this wide-ranging debate. On my own amendments on fee capping, I have not tried to set any particular price. As the noble Lord, Lord Sutherland, rightly said, you would not want anything like...

My Lords, I am most grateful to the Minister and to everybody who has taken part in this wide-ranging debate. On my own amendments on fee capping, I have not tried to set any particular price. As the noble Lord, Lord Sutherland, rightly said, you would not want anything like...

My Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord De Mauley, said at the start of his remarks, this is a large and, you could say, diverse group of amendments. I hope I can respond to noble Lords with the courtesy and attention that all the amendments require. The noble Lord, Lord...

My Lords, as the noble Lord, Lord De Mauley, said at the start of his remarks, this is a large and, you could say, diverse group of amendments. I hope I can respond to noble Lords with the courtesy and attention that all the amendments require. The noble Lord, Lord...