I have one question following the Minister’s very helpful explanation. I was involved in the internal government discussion leading up to the 2013 legislation, and at the back of our minds was the whole issue of merging local government pension schemes for economic and investment reasons. The model that emerged...

I have one question following the Minister’s very helpful explanation. I was involved in the internal government discussion leading up to the 2013 legislation, and at the back of our minds was the whole issue of merging local government pension schemes for economic and investment reasons. The model that emerged...

Does not the hon. Gentleman think that he is making an excellent case for a proper independent careers service that can go into schools and provide such information?

Does not the hon. Gentleman think that he is making an excellent case for a proper independent careers service that can go into schools and provide such information?

FE colleges certainly want the freedoms that we gave them in 1992 and they certainly want to engage with local employers, but the question is whether the extraordinary muddle of quangos that they will now have to face—17 regulatory bodies, as identified by Andrew Foster in his inquiry, set up...

FE colleges certainly want the freedoms that we gave them in 1992 and they certainly want to engage with local employers, but the question is whether the extraordinary muddle of quangos that they will now have to face—17 regulatory bodies, as identified by Andrew Foster in his inquiry, set up...

Perhaps I can tell the Secretary of State about my experience at the North of England Education Conference this year, but before I do, I will take a brief intervention.

Perhaps I can tell the Secretary of State about my experience at the North of England Education Conference this year, but before I do, I will take a brief intervention.

We have had a very useful debate. One of the pleasures of this debate has been that the two Departments that focus on schools and skills, which came out of the single Department for Education, have come together to debate and scrutinise the legislation. In fact, I do not think...

We have had a very useful debate. One of the pleasures of this debate has been that the two Departments that focus on schools and skills, which came out of the single Department for Education, have come together to debate and scrutinise the legislation. In fact, I do not think...

The Secretary of State appears not to recognise a statistic from his own Department's statistical release. I have that release to hand and the statistics show that for the year 2006-07 there were, indeed, 97,000 people in advanced apprenticeships, as against the year 2000—the first year in the table in...

The Secretary of State appears not to recognise a statistic from his own Department's statistical release. I have that release to hand and the statistics show that for the year 2006-07 there were, indeed, 97,000 people in advanced apprenticeships, as against the year 2000—the first year in the table in...

Will the Secretary of State let us know whether that right is one of the measures that will be reviewed by the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, as we read in The Times today that he is busy trying to get rid of these extra burdens...

Will the Secretary of State let us know whether that right is one of the measures that will be reviewed by the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, as we read in The Times today that he is busy trying to get rid of these extra burdens...

I want to ask the Secretary of State about the announcement today of 21,000 new apprenticeships in the public sector. Can he assure the House that these will indeed be new opportunities for young people in new apprenticeships and new posts? Or will this instead involve a redefinition of existing...

I want to ask the Secretary of State about the announcement today of 21,000 new apprenticeships in the public sector. Can he assure the House that these will indeed be new opportunities for young people in new apprenticeships and new posts? Or will this instead involve a redefinition of existing...

I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

I hope very much that the Secretary of State will join us in making a robust case for the Government’s school reforms, and I look forward to working with him on that. The Secretary of State just described one of our new clauses, which provides for new schools not to...

I hope very much that the Secretary of State will join us in making a robust case for the Government’s school reforms, and I look forward to working with him on that. The Secretary of State just described one of our new clauses, which provides for new schools not to...

New clause 1 would place a duty on individuals investigating allegations against teachers to ensure the confidentiality of information that might identify the alleged offender until the allegation had been proven. It would place a duty on the governing body of a maintained school to ensure that its school policy...

New clause 1 would place a duty on individuals investigating allegations against teachers to ensure the confidentiality of information that might identify the alleged offender until the allegation had been proven. It would place a duty on the governing body of a maintained school to ensure that its school policy...

I had hoped that the Minister would be able to go a bit further. I realise that our new clause is not the ideal way to tackle the problem, but I had hoped that he could have given a Government commitment to legislate on it in some way or other....

I had hoped that the Minister would be able to go a bit further. I realise that our new clause is not the ideal way to tackle the problem, but I had hoped that he could have given a Government commitment to legislate on it in some way or other....

I had hoped that we could avoid dividing the House, but to help us to reach a decision, can the Minister give any indication that the Government will consider legislating to tackle the problem, because voluntary codes or codes for governing bodies are not enough?

I had hoped that we could avoid dividing the House, but to help us to reach a decision, can the Minister give any indication that the Government will consider legislating to tackle the problem, because voluntary codes or codes for governing bodies are not enough?

I am trying to find a way forward, because I fully understand that we do not particularly want to divide the House if we can avoid it. Is he willing to meet a group of hon. Members to consider what the options might be to legislate beyond the code, which,...

I am trying to find a way forward, because I fully understand that we do not particularly want to divide the House if we can avoid it. Is he willing to meet a group of hon. Members to consider what the options might be to legislate beyond the code, which,...

That would not be possible within the framework of the new clause that we propose, as it relates only to educational establishments. There is an argument for wider protection for teachers, which would require provisions under criminal justice legislation that go beyond the Bill. If it could be shown that...

That would not be possible within the framework of the new clause that we propose, as it relates only to educational establishments. There is an argument for wider protection for teachers, which would require provisions under criminal justice legislation that go beyond the Bill. If it could be shown that...

If a parent has broken the confidentiality in those circumstances, that should be an offence. The protection that we are trying to provide for teachers is a general protection. The hon. Gentleman is right. The protection of anonymity is enjoyed only by children. Often it is the child versus the...

If a parent has broken the confidentiality in those circumstances, that should be an offence. The protection that we are trying to provide for teachers is a general protection. The hon. Gentleman is right. The protection of anonymity is enjoyed only by children. Often it is the child versus the...

Does the hon. Gentleman support specialist schools? Does he agree that they should have distinctive specialisms? Should they be able to select 10 per cent. of their pupils by aptitude in those specialisms? Can he explain to me the difference between the aptitude and the ability of pupils? That is...

Does the hon. Gentleman support specialist schools? Does he agree that they should have distinctive specialisms? Should they be able to select 10 per cent. of their pupils by aptitude in those specialisms? Can he explain to me the difference between the aptitude and the ability of pupils? That is...

Indeed. The regulations are extraordinary. As I understand it, the purpose of such an interview is for the parents to learn about the school, but the school is not supposed to learn about the parents.

Indeed. The regulations are extraordinary. As I understand it, the purpose of such an interview is for the parents to learn about the school, but the school is not supposed to learn about the parents.

I should like to make progress, as I want to consider two crucial concerns about the Bill. The first, which has been mentioned already, is what we might call the fragmentation concern—that the proposals in the Bill will lead to fragmentation and diversity, which will lead to inequity. That is...

I should like to make progress, as I want to consider two crucial concerns about the Bill. The first, which has been mentioned already, is what we might call the fragmentation concern—that the proposals in the Bill will lead to fragmentation and diversity, which will lead to inequity. That is...

Let me make progress on this very important point, because it matters enormously to us on the Conservative Benches. We do not believe that that old model is any longer a way in which people can credibly claim to deliver social justice. That is why the system needs to be...

Let me make progress on this very important point, because it matters enormously to us on the Conservative Benches. We do not believe that that old model is any longer a way in which people can credibly claim to deliver social justice. That is why the system needs to be...