Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

In moving the amendment, I shall speak also to Amendment 14, which is grouped with it. The amendments were laid in another place by my honourable friend Annette Brooke, the MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, at the instigation of the RNIB, which is concerned about putting wording into the Bill to ensure that people with disabilities are not excluded from the opportunities of apprenticeships. As she pointed out, such people may take longer than others to carry out a task and they may therefore not be an attractive proposition for employers, unjustifiably of course in many cases. However, that is the situation. It is of course also essential that people with disabilities are physically able to carry out both the work and the training parts of a programme. My honourable friend asked how the Government were going to overcome the issue. In his reply, the Minister, Siôn Simon, called in aid Clause 101, which is now Clause 102 in our version of the Bill. He pointed out, ""the chief executive of skills funding may provide or secure a range of services to assist ‘effective participation’ of learners undertaking apprenticeships".—[Official Report, Commons, Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill Committee, 10/3/09; col. 223.]" This, he said, would allow the chief executive, ""to include such services as would assist learners with disabilities to access apprenticeships".—[Official Report, Commons, Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill Committee, 10/3/09; col. 223.]" I have laid this amendment again in your Lordships' House because we are still concerned that that answer does not adequately address the problem. Clause 102(1)(a) states that the chief executive: ""must provide or secure the provision of such services as the Chief Executive considers appropriate for assisting persons to find apprenticeship places"." However, Clause 102(1)(b) states that he: ""may provide or secure the provision of other services for encouraging, enabling or assisting the effective participation"," and so on. Note the difference: "must" in the first paragraph—an entitlement—and "may" in the second paragraph—a pious hope. I suggest that a pious hope, however pious, is not strong enough. Clause 112 relates to persons aged 19 or over with learning difficulties. Under subsection (1): ""The Chief Executive must … have regard to the needs of persons with learning difficulties"." These phrases at least demonstrate that the Government are aware that special services need to be provided to make sure that those with physical or mental disabilities or difficulties have equal access to apprenticeships. That is good, but we on these Benches, along with the RNIB and other groups, feel that this aspect of the Bill needs strengthening. How can the Minister reassure us that there will be equal access for those with disabilities to the opportunities afforded by the Bill? I beg to move.