My Lords, one of those schools would be forced to adopt these governance arrangements against its wishes.

My Lords, one of those schools would be forced to adopt these governance arrangements against its wishes.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply, but it would be more satisfactory if there were a statutory responsibility. You could rely on the informal links through having a councillor sitting on the governing body of the academy or city technology college, but you would be relying on...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply, but it would be more satisfactory if there were a statutory responsibility. You could rely on the informal links through having a councillor sitting on the governing body of the academy or city technology college, but you would be relying on...

My Lords, I appreciate the points raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Howe, and the noble Lord, Lord Sutherland, about the importance of parents being engaged in schools, including in their governance. I will address that point directly, because the Bill does not diminish the engagement of parents in the...

My Lords, I appreciate the points raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Howe, and the noble Lord, Lord Sutherland, about the importance of parents being engaged in schools, including in their governance. I will address that point directly, because the Bill does not diminish the engagement of parents in the...

My Lords, I support the first of these three amendments. I rightly applaud the Government's emphasis on the role of parents in education and in the shape of schools. Amendment No. 21 would give legislative endorsement to that general statement, which I think Members of the House have thoroughly supported....

My Lords, I support the first of these three amendments. I rightly applaud the Government's emphasis on the role of parents in education and in the shape of schools. Amendment No. 21 would give legislative endorsement to that general statement, which I think Members of the House have thoroughly supported....

My Lords, I, too, support the first amendment. Perhaps I should declare my interest as the president of the National Governors’ Association. It and other organisations have serious concerns that the parent governor quota, as it were, would be, if not obliterated completely, certainly diminished in its importance. However keen...

My Lords, I, too, support the first amendment. Perhaps I should declare my interest as the president of the National Governors’ Association. It and other organisations have serious concerns that the parent governor quota, as it were, would be, if not obliterated completely, certainly diminished in its importance. However keen...

moved Amendments Nos. 18 to 20: Page 136, line 7, leave out sub-paragraph (7). Page 136, line 24, after ““paragraphs”” insert ““A1 to A16 or”” Page 136, leave out lines 45 to 47. On Question, amendments agreed to. Clause 18 [Alterations that may be made under section 19]:

moved Amendments Nos. 18 to 20: Page 136, line 7, leave out sub-paragraph (7). Page 136, line 24, after ““paragraphs”” insert ““A1 to A16 or”” Page 136, leave out lines 45 to 47. On Question, amendments agreed to. Clause 18 [Alterations that may be made under section 19]:

moved Amendment No. 21: Page 14, line 3, at end insert- ““( ) a reduction in the proportion of elected parent governors on a school's governing body”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, in moving Amendment No. 21, I shall speak also to Amendments Nos. 39 and 40. Amendment No....

moved Amendment No. 21: Page 14, line 3, at end insert- ““( ) a reduction in the proportion of elected parent governors on a school's governing body”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, in moving Amendment No. 21, I shall speak also to Amendments Nos. 39 and 40. Amendment No....

moved Amendment No. 17: Page 133, line 5, after ““12”” insert ““, sections 15 and 16”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, this group of government amendments relates to minor school organisation matters and parent councils. I have written to noble Lords setting out their effect in detail. To summarise,...

moved Amendment No. 17: Page 133, line 5, after ““12”” insert ““, sections 15 and 16”” The noble Lord said: My Lords, this group of government amendments relates to minor school organisation matters and parent councils. I have written to noble Lords setting out their effect in detail. To summarise,...

My Lords, as the Minister mentioned the point I raised in Committee, I shall say simply that we are very grateful to him and his officials for introducing Amendments Nos. 41 to 44, which substantially address the points we raised. I am grateful that they will enable representatives of the...

My Lords, as the Minister mentioned the point I raised in Committee, I shall say simply that we are very grateful to him and his officials for introducing Amendments Nos. 41 to 44, which substantially address the points we raised. I am grateful that they will enable representatives of the...

My Lords, I appreciate that, but these schools are oversubscribed not because they have two elected parent governors but for much more complex reasons to do with the school ethos and parents’ beliefs. As the noble Lord has just said, it is for the governing body to decide, which I...

My Lords, I appreciate that, but these schools are oversubscribed not because they have two elected parent governors but for much more complex reasons to do with the school ethos and parents’ beliefs. As the noble Lord has just said, it is for the governing body to decide, which I...

moved Amendment No. 22: Page 17, line 8, leave out paragraph (b) and insert- ““( ) must provide for the proposals to be approved through a ballot by a majority of the parents of the registered pupils of the school”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, I shall also speak...

moved Amendment No. 22: Page 17, line 8, leave out paragraph (b) and insert- ““( ) must provide for the proposals to be approved through a ballot by a majority of the parents of the registered pupils of the school”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, I shall also speak...

moved Amendment No. 26: Page 20, line 23, leave out from ““which”” to ““or”” in line 24 and insert- ““(i) proposals for the establishment of the school were implemented under Schedule 2, or (ii) proposals for the acquisition of a foundation, for a relevant change in the instrument of government...

moved Amendment No. 26: Page 20, line 23, leave out from ““which”” to ““or”” in line 24 and insert- ““(i) proposals for the establishment of the school were implemented under Schedule 2, or (ii) proposals for the acquisition of a foundation, for a relevant change in the instrument of government...

My Lords, I am very conscious that the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Portsmouth should be speaking to Amendments Nos. 31, 51, 52 and 53, but for reasons of which the House is well aware he cannot be with us today. Therefore, I shall speak to those amendments briefly....

My Lords, I am very conscious that the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Portsmouth should be speaking to Amendments Nos. 31, 51, 52 and 53, but for reasons of which the House is well aware he cannot be with us today. Therefore, I shall speak to those amendments briefly....

moved Amendment No. 27: Page 20, line 28, at end insert- ““(6A) In subsection (6)(a)(ii) ““relevant change””, in relation to the instrument of government of a school, is to be read in accordance with section 22(2).”” On Question, amendment agreed to. Clause 26 [Proposals under section 25: procedure]:

moved Amendment No. 27: Page 20, line 28, at end insert- ““(6A) In subsection (6)(a)(ii) ““relevant change””, in relation to the instrument of government of a school, is to be read in accordance with section 22(2).”” On Question, amendment agreed to. Clause 26 [Proposals under section 25: procedure]:

moved Amendment No. 28: Page 21, line 12, leave out subsection (3) and insert- ““(3) Regulations under this section may in prescribed cases- (a) require the governing body to ensure that matters relating to- (i) any transfer which may be required by virtue of subsection (2)(b) of section 27, or...

moved Amendment No. 28: Page 21, line 12, leave out subsection (3) and insert- ““(3) Regulations under this section may in prescribed cases- (a) require the governing body to ensure that matters relating to- (i) any transfer which may be required by virtue of subsection (2)(b) of section 27, or...

My Lords, in case the noble Baroness is in any doubt, let me declare myself at the outset to be a very proud democrat who has been to the fore in many of the arguments that we have had over the past few years on the case for substantial reforms...

My Lords, in case the noble Baroness is in any doubt, let me declare myself at the outset to be a very proud democrat who has been to the fore in many of the arguments that we have had over the past few years on the case for substantial reforms...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply, but I point out to him that even the Conservatives, when they introduced grant-maintained schools, supported the idea of parental ballots for the change of status of schools. To argue as he does that this is not the democratic way to...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply, but I point out to him that even the Conservatives, when they introduced grant-maintained schools, supported the idea of parental ballots for the change of status of schools. To argue as he does that this is not the democratic way to...

moved Amendment No. 23: Page 17, line 28, after ““by”” insert ““a two-thirds majority vote of”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, we feel it perfectly reasonable that this very substantial change of status should require a two-thirds majority of the governing board, and we would like to test the...

moved Amendment No. 23: Page 17, line 28, after ““by”” insert ““a two-thirds majority vote of”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, we feel it perfectly reasonable that this very substantial change of status should require a two-thirds majority of the governing board, and we would like to test the...

moved Amendment No. 25: Page 19, line 44, after ““by”” insert ““, or that which may be made by regulations under,”” On Question, amendment agreed to. Clause 25 [Proposals for removal of foundation or reduction in foundation governors]:

moved Amendment No. 25: Page 19, line 44, after ““by”” insert ““, or that which may be made by regulations under,”” On Question, amendment agreed to. Clause 25 [Proposals for removal of foundation or reduction in foundation governors]: