Education and Inspections Bill

I shall speak to Amendments Nos. 211 and 211A in this group. Transport is the bedrock of real choice for pupils and parents yet there is no uniform commitment to choice by LEAs across the country. There are instances where free travel is only accessible under local education authority provision if a student attends their closest school. In Gloucestershire, the local authority’s rules state that a pupil must, "““attend the school or college closest to your home address or the school or college that serves your home address””." The effects of this type of policy are evident at Cirencester College where, according to statistics from the Guardian on 11 July, only 27 out of 1,500 pupils qualify for subsidised bus travel. Of more concern are the Minister’s words in another place, where he stated in response to my honourable friend John Hayes MP that the nature of the funding arrangements are based on a negotiation to, "““determine whether funds are required, depending on where the student lives and so on””.—[Official Report, Commons, Standing Committee E, 9/5/06; col. 808.]" I hope the Minister can confirm that that statement does not mean that schools will be able effectively to fetter choice by refusing free school transport. We on these Benches are not advocating free or subsidised school transport for all pupils between 16 to 19, but it is clear that transport for those who really need it outside compulsory school age is not given the priority that it needs. Amendment No. 211 addresses the issue of choice in specific terms. It is linked-in, rather, with the debates we have had on faith schools, but its purpose focuses on choice. It will ensure that a school would not qualify as suitable for subsidised transport arrangements if that school was incompatible with parents’ religious beliefs. We on these Benches believe that those parents who have strong religious beliefs and who wish to bring their children up following them should be supported in doing so. Likewise, those parents who strongly do not hold religious beliefs should not be forced to send their children to a school that is led on a religious basis. Religion or belief includes absence of religion or belief, as defined in Clause 77, which inserts new Clause 509AD—that is slightly worrying—into the Education Act 1996. Subsections (3)(c) and (d) state: "““A reference to religion includes a reference to lack of religion, and … reference to belief includes a reference to lack of belief””." My amendment would be vital in instances in which an atheist family who lived close to three faith schools did not want to send their children there, and vice versa. Amendment No. 211A is intended to ensure that any changes made by piloting transport schemes will be approved by Parliament ahead of implementation and will provide the details of all those children who currently receive free school transport, who would lose out due to the scheme. Ideally, no child who currently receives free school transport would lose out under new schemes. I hope that the Minister can assure us that that provision will be safe. The amendments together, along with the principle of my amendments in the next group, would ensure that school transport is a real facilitator for choice and notably in its efficiency, not in its absence.