Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

Having arrived late for the debate I will restrict my comments to an endorsement of one of the points made by the noble Baroness, Lady Blackstone, namely the unacceptability of paragraph (e) of the new section. It activates a principle that is often referred to in this House—inclusio unius est exclusio alterius. If you apply a specific requirement to a particular category, it implies that all the other categories are not included. Therefore, it gives precedence to making the best use of resources only in this case, and reduces the pressure on local authorities in any other provision within this statute. I have been told by lawyers again and again that that is the effect of doing this sort of thing, so I hope that the Government will pay close attention to what the noble Baroness, Lady Blackstone, said.