My Lords, I do not read this amendment in the same way as the noble Baroness, Lady Morris, does, but I will come to that. I start with renewed thanks to the Minister for the time that she and her officials have given to me and thanks to the right...

My Lords, I do not read this amendment in the same way as the noble Baroness, Lady Morris, does, but I will come to that. I start with renewed thanks to the Minister for the time that she and her officials have given to me and thanks to the right...

My Lords, I am thoroughly in favour of Amendment 191A. I have been involved in that sort of situation a couple of times in my life. It makes an enormous difference for someone facing a perilous investigation to have someone beside them to make the points that make it clear...

My Lords, I am thoroughly in favour of Amendment 191A. I have been involved in that sort of situation a couple of times in my life. It makes an enormous difference for someone facing a perilous investigation to have someone beside them to make the points that make it clear...

My Lords, new Section 434A(6)(b)(i) asks the local authority to consider

“that it would be in the child’s best interests to receive education by regular attendance at school”.

But no child attends school: they attend a school. They might attend the school where the noble Lord, Lord Hampton, works—fine—or they might go...

My Lords, new Section 434A(6)(b)(i) asks the local authority to consider

“that it would be in the child’s best interests to receive education by regular attendance at school”.

But no child attends school: they attend a school. They might attend the school where the noble Lord, Lord Hampton, works—fine—or they might go...

My Lords, I very much support my noble friend’s Amendment 157A. One of the fundamental things that can come out of this register is proper information for Parliament on what is happening in home education, and I very much hope that we will receive that.

My Lords, I very much support my noble friend’s Amendment 157A. One of the fundamental things that can come out of this register is proper information for Parliament on what is happening in home education, and I very much hope that we will receive that.

My Lords, I echo what the noble Lord, Lord Crisp, has just said, particularly the thanks to the Minister for the time and consideration of civil servants and the many excellent government amendments in this group that reflect that.

I too think that Amendment 135A and the versions of it tabled...

My Lords, I echo what the noble Lord, Lord Crisp, has just said, particularly the thanks to the Minister for the time and consideration of civil servants and the many excellent government amendments in this group that reflect that.

I too think that Amendment 135A and the versions of it tabled...

My Lords, in the spring of 2024, my noble friend Lady Barran was kind enough to allow me to explore what is going wrong with GCSE provision for home-educated people. I was foolish enough to think that the election would be in October, so I never got to the end...

My Lords, in the spring of 2024, my noble friend Lady Barran was kind enough to allow me to explore what is going wrong with GCSE provision for home-educated people. I was foolish enough to think that the election would be in October, so I never got to the end...

Following what the noble Baroness, Lady Wolf, has just said, I want to speak to my Amendment 432 in this group and say that it is worth going that bit further than Amendment 434, which the noble Baroness, Lady Blackstone, is proposing. We are very much looking in the same...

Following what the noble Baroness, Lady Wolf, has just said, I want to speak to my Amendment 432 in this group and say that it is worth going that bit further than Amendment 434, which the noble Baroness, Lady Blackstone, is proposing. We are very much looking in the same...

My Lords, I am grateful for the Minister’s answer on my amendment. Can she add to the many helpful things that she has said a commitment to drift the amendments proposed by the noble Baroness, Lady Blackstone, and by me—as well as her own response —past the Chief Inspector of...

My Lords, I am grateful for the Minister’s answer on my amendment. Can she add to the many helpful things that she has said a commitment to drift the amendments proposed by the noble Baroness, Lady Blackstone, and by me—as well as her own response —past the Chief Inspector of...

My noble friend of course runs a good academy trust. Where things are not so good, you can get a lot of variability between the schools that append themselves to a trust. So this has to be judged on the occasion: you cannot just say you we

will inspect the...

My noble friend of course runs a good academy trust. Where things are not so good, you can get a lot of variability between the schools that append themselves to a trust. So this has to be judged on the occasion: you cannot just say you we

will inspect the...

Yes, but we still want responsive, interested and active people there—and that is not what you get in my experience.

Secondly, I hope that inspection will look at the connection with parents, which can be hugely different across MATs. Some parents have a real connection with the school, and the school...

Yes, but we still want responsive, interested and active people there—and that is not what you get in my experience.

Secondly, I hope that inspection will look at the connection with parents, which can be hugely different across MATs. Some parents have a real connection with the school, and the school...

My Lords, I quite agree with my noble friend. The current system does not create a lot of problems because most schools are teams. If you really need a particular skill, so you bring in someone who has that skill but lacks the other skills that one needs to teach...

My Lords, I quite agree with my noble friend. The current system does not create a lot of problems because most schools are teams. If you really need a particular skill, so you bring in someone who has that skill but lacks the other skills that one needs to teach...

Moved by

Lord Lucas

255: Clause 31, page 55, leave out lines 20 and 21

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment seeks to probe whether the wording of this paragraph is compatible with ECHR rulings regarding requirements to disclose religion.

Moved by

Lord Lucas

255: Clause 31, page 55, leave out lines 20 and 21

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment seeks to probe whether the wording of this paragraph is compatible with ECHR rulings regarding requirements to disclose religion.

My Lords, it is my intention not to speak to the amendments in this group but to await what the Minister will say about them in order to shorten the debate.

In view of the conversation before we had Questions, I want to reconfirm to noble Lords that, according to paragraph...

My Lords, it is my intention not to speak to the amendments in this group but to await what the Minister will say about them in order to shorten the debate.

In view of the conversation before we had Questions, I want to reconfirm to noble Lords that, according to paragraph...

I thank the Minister for that explanation and beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

I thank the Minister for that explanation and beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend, Lord Wei, I will move Amendment 270 and address other amendments in this group.

Amendment 270 would require a local authority to establish a parental advisory board. This is a useful structure for ensuring that parents and local authorities work together. Amendment 278...

My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend, Lord Wei, I will move Amendment 270 and address other amendments in this group.

Amendment 270 would require a local authority to establish a parental advisory board. This is a useful structure for ensuring that parents and local authorities work together. Amendment 278...

My Lords, I am very grateful to the Minister for that comprehensive set of answers, most of which amount to “wait and see”, which I shall be delighted to do. I would be very grateful if she would send me some information on what she thinks the scope of the...

My Lords, I am very grateful to the Minister for that comprehensive set of answers, most of which amount to “wait and see”, which I shall be delighted to do. I would be very grateful if she would send me some information on what she thinks the scope of the...

Moved by

Lord Lucas

271: Clause 31, page 57, line 9, at end insert—

“(6) The register of children not in school created under section 436B must be maintained solely by the local authority and must not be compiled into or made accessible through a national database.”

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment prohibits the creation...

Moved by

Lord Lucas

271: Clause 31, page 57, line 9, at end insert—

“(6) The register of children not in school created under section 436B must be maintained solely by the local authority and must not be compiled into or made accessible through a national database.”

Member’s explanatory statement

This amendment prohibits the creation...

My Lords, on this I think it would be best if I listened to the Minister’s responses. I beg to move.

My Lords, on this I think it would be best if I listened to the Minister’s responses. I beg to move.

My Lords, that was a full and helpful answer, for which I am grateful to the Minister. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

My Lords, that was a full and helpful answer, for which I am grateful to the Minister. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment.

Moved by

Lord Lucas

274: Clause 31, page 57, line 9, at end insert—

“(6) The register established under section 436B shall expire two years after its creation unless the Secretary of State publishes evidence that it has demonstrably improved safeguarding outcomes.”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment introduces a sunset clause to ensure the register...

Moved by

Lord Lucas

274: Clause 31, page 57, line 9, at end insert—

“(6) The register established under section 436B shall expire two years after its creation unless the Secretary of State publishes evidence that it has demonstrably improved safeguarding outcomes.”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment introduces a sunset clause to ensure the register...