Education and Inspections Bill

moved Amendment No. 3: Page 1, line 4, at beginning insert- ““(1) A local authority which is both a local education authority and a children's services authority shall ensure that their functions as a children's services authority relating to improving the well-being of children in the authority's area are exercised with a view to ensuring that the authority support their duty under section 13A of EA 1996 (duty to promote high standards in primary and secondary education). (2) A children's services authority shall ensure that their functions relating to the provision of children's services must be exercised by the authority with a view to- (a) promoting high educational standards; (b) in the case of a local education authority in England, ensuring fair access to educational opportunity; (c) promoting the fulfilment by every child concerned of his educational potential; and (d) supporting the improvement in the well-being of children in the authority's area.”” The noble Lord said: I shall speak to the amendment put down by the noble Lord, Lord Best, who unfortunately cannot come today, myself and the noble Baroness, Lady Walmsley. The purpose of our amendment is formally to underline that the Every Child Matters agenda, as set out in the Children Act 2004, is directly relevant to the educational attainment of every child, and that the educational purposes of the Bill will not be fully achieved unless the agenda is part of its provisions. The point was argued by speakers from all three parties in the other place and taken to a vote in Committee. The amendment has the support of the Every Child, Every School coalition, which, as the Minister knows, is widely drawn and includes local authorities which would be given responsibility to give effect to our addition to the clause. I imagine that the Minister will tell us that this is unnecessary, because there is already sufficient legislative provision. I offer two thoughts on that. First, there is a plethora of legislation making so many demands on so many busy people that, as a necessity, they must prioritise and decide what to do. An example which may be familiar to the Minister is the emphasis given in the past—and, I hope, the future—to work experience; and how, with the subsequent emphasis on enterprise education, it has taken second place. That is the kind of thing that happens when such a weight of initiatives descends upon busy people. I have not counted the number of times the Bill refers to it being supplemented and complemented by guidance and regulation, but there are 480 pages of draft regulations and guidance. When that hits people outside, what do they do? They must prioritise. My concern is that the Every Child Matters part of what is necessary for the educational success of a child will get overlaid. Secondly, the children or young people who will suffer most from any such sidelining are those who need the help most, who need their well-being and their education to be seen as a whole. I am thinking of children from fractured and disorganised homes where the parents are heavily burdened—perhaps both of them are at work—so there is stress and anxiety and the child’s needs are great. When this matter was discussed in another place, the Minister, Jacqui Smith, recalled the words of the former Secretary of State for Education and Skills, who told the Education and Skills Committee that the White Paper that heralded the Bill was, "““all about driving up standards for the most disadvantaged children””." She went on to say: "““We have made it clear that we are happy for the measure to be applied when judging the success of the reform programme as a whole and the White Paper and the Bill in particular””.—[Official Report, Commons Standing Committee E, 28/3/06;col. 52.]" It is because of the concern, felt strongly on all sides of the House, for precisely those children that I consider this amendment necessary. It is for them. I hope the Minister will give constructive consideration to this amendment. I beg to move.