Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

Lords motion to consider. Agreed to on question.

My Lords, I thank the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee and the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments for their scrutiny of this instrument. These draft regulations were laid in Parliament on 22 January 2026.

As noble Lords will be aware, the quality of teaching is critical to securing the best outcomes for...

My Lords, I thank the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee and the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments for their scrutiny of this instrument. These draft regulations were laid in Parliament on 22 January 2026.

As noble Lords will be aware, the quality of teaching is critical to securing the best outcomes for...

My Lords, as the noble Baroness, Lady Blake, has just said, this statutory instrument is probably well overdue. It is something that we have not looked at, because Governments of whatever colour or combination really just did not get around to it. So, I congratulate the current Government on having...

My Lords, as the noble Baroness, Lady Blake, has just said, this statutory instrument is probably well overdue. It is something that we have not looked at, because Governments of whatever colour or combination really just did not get around to it. So, I congratulate the current Government on having...

My Lords, further to what my noble friend has just said, can I say that there used to be a very highly regarded City & Guilds qualification for teachers in further education, which virtually all of them held? Of course, teachers in FE are nearly always also practitioners, so they...

My Lords, further to what my noble friend has just said, can I say that there used to be a very highly regarded City & Guilds qualification for teachers in further education, which virtually all of them held? Of course, teachers in FE are nearly always also practitioners, so they...

My Lords, His Majesty’s loyal Opposition agree that all initial teacher training courses should set and achieve the highest possible standards so that every learner benefits from high-quality teaching. There is no disagreement across this Committee about the importance of well-trained teachers in further education. The sector plays a crucial...

My Lords, His Majesty’s loyal Opposition agree that all initial teacher training courses should set and achieve the highest possible standards so that every learner benefits from high-quality teaching. There is no disagreement across this Committee about the importance of well-trained teachers in further education. The sector plays a crucial...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lords and noble Baroness for their contributions to this important discussion. I personally had the benefit of attending an FE college and, from a very early age, I recognised the extremely important contribution that FE makes to our rich landscape of educational provision.

I will...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lords and noble Baroness for their contributions to this important discussion. I personally had the benefit of attending an FE college and, from a very early age, I recognised the extremely important contribution that FE makes to our rich landscape of educational provision.

I will...

Actually, there is quite a lot of good practice and basic support in virtually all further education institutions. For things such as information capture, there is a standard for everywhere. It can be used in a few ways; for example, lectures and so on can be taped and transcribed into...

Actually, there is quite a lot of good practice and basic support in virtually all further education institutions. For things such as information capture, there is a standard for everywhere. It can be used in a few ways; for example, lectures and so on can be taped and transcribed into...

We are always grateful for the noble Lord’s insight into these areas, but we know that FE colleges are incredibly inclusive. We must, as I think the noble Lord is suggesting, look out for good practice and make sure that, where we see it, it is replicated and becomes the...

We are always grateful for the noble Lord’s insight into these areas, but we know that FE colleges are incredibly inclusive. We must, as I think the noble Lord is suggesting, look out for good practice and make sure that, where we see it, it is replicated and becomes the...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

156: Clause 32, page 62, line 21, leave out from “education” to “at” in line 22 and insert “as mentioned in subsection (1)(a) to any child living in England or Wales (whether or not that child lives in the authority’s area) or has provided such...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

156: Clause 32, page 62, line 21, leave out from “education” to “at” in line 22 and insert “as mentioned in subsection (1)(a) to any child living in England or Wales (whether or not that child lives in the authority’s area) or has provided such...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

158: Clause 32, page 64, line 36, at end insert—

“(c) information about access to examinations for the General Certificate of Secondary Education.”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment would add information about access to GCSE exams to the list of examples of matters about which a local authority...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

158: Clause 32, page 64, line 36, at end insert—

“(c) information about access to examinations for the General Certificate of Secondary Education.”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment would add information about access to GCSE exams to the list of examples of matters about which a local authority...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

161: Clause 32, page 64, line 37, leave out “duty in subsection (1) does not apply” and insert “duties in subsections (1), (2A) and (2B) do not apply in relation to a child”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment is consequential on my second amendment of clause 32...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

161: Clause 32, page 64, line 37, leave out “duty in subsection (1) does not apply” and insert “duties in subsections (1), (2A) and (2B) do not apply in relation to a child”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment is consequential on my second amendment of clause 32...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

162: Clause 32, page 65, line 8, leave out subsection (3) and insert—

“(3) In section 569(2A)—

(a) after “section” insert “436B(6), 436C(1)(e), 436C(2), 436C(4), 436E(1)(a), 436E(7), 436E(9), 436F(1), 436F(2),”;

(b) after “550ZC(7)” insert “, or under paragraph 5 of Schedule 31A”.”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment would provide that...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

162: Clause 32, page 65, line 8, leave out subsection (3) and insert—

“(3) In section 569(2A)—

(a) after “section” insert “436B(6), 436C(1)(e), 436C(2), 436C(4), 436E(1)(a), 436E(7), 436E(9), 436F(1), 436F(2),”;

(b) after “550ZC(7)” insert “, or under paragraph 5 of Schedule 31A”.”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment would provide that...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

165: Clause 33, page 68, line 35, at end insert “; or has taken such action during the period of 5 years ending with the date on which a preliminary notice is to be served under subsection (1).”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment would allow a local...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

165: Clause 33, page 68, line 35, at end insert “; or has taken such action during the period of 5 years ending with the date on which a preliminary notice is to be served under subsection (1).”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment would allow a local...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

169: Clause 33, page 70, line 10, after “that Act” insert “, or which has been taken during the period of 5 years ending with the date that the order would be made,”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment would also cover action taken by the local authority...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

169: Clause 33, page 70, line 10, after “that Act” insert “, or which has been taken during the period of 5 years ending with the date that the order would be made,”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment would also cover action taken by the local authority...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

172: Clause 33, page 77, line 28, after “that Act” insert “, or which has been taken during the period of 5 years ending with the date that the order was made,”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment would also cover action taken by the local authority under...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

172: Clause 33, page 77, line 28, after “that Act” insert “, or which has been taken during the period of 5 years ending with the date that the order was made,”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment would also cover action taken by the local authority under...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

173: Clause 34, page 81, line 32, leave out “Except as provided by subsection (3),”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment is consequential on my amendment to clause 34, page 81, line 39.

174: Clause 34, page 81, line 39, leave out from beginning to end of line 5...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

173: Clause 34, page 81, line 32, leave out “Except as provided by subsection (3),”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment is consequential on my amendment to clause 34, page 81, line 39.

174: Clause 34, page 81, line 39, leave out from beginning to end of line 5...

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

175: Clause 35, page 82, line 10, leave out “under sections” and insert “under or by virtue of sections 434A, 434B and”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment would ensure that local authorities have regard to guidance when exercising functions relating to the withdrawal of children from school.

Moved by

Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)

175: Clause 35, page 82, line 10, leave out “under sections” and insert “under or by virtue of sections 434A, 434B and”

Member's explanatory statement

This amendment would ensure that local authorities have regard to guidance when exercising functions relating to the withdrawal of children from school.

Moved by

The Lord Bishop of Manchester

175A: Clause 37, page 83, line 42, at end insert—

“(fa) an institution—

(i) that is only providing religious instruction or guidance,

(ii) where parents or guardians of attendees have registered at their Local Authority that they provide suitable out-of-school education separate from or in addition to any...

Moved by

The Lord Bishop of Manchester

175A: Clause 37, page 83, line 42, at end insert—

“(fa) an institution—

(i) that is only providing religious instruction or guidance,

(ii) where parents or guardians of attendees have registered at their Local Authority that they provide suitable out-of-school education separate from or in addition to any...

My Lords, this amendment is a repeat of one that I tabled in Committee, to which my right reverend friend the Bishop of Oxford spoke in my absence. I am deeply grateful to him, and to the noble Lords, Lord Lucas and Lord Marks of Hale, who have added their...

My Lords, this amendment is a repeat of one that I tabled in Committee, to which my right reverend friend the Bishop of Oxford spoke in my absence. I am deeply grateful to him, and to the noble Lords, Lord Lucas and Lord Marks of Hale, who have added their...