Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

It will not be an imposed process of the kind the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, described. There would be no point in doing that, because we are talking about responding to already established needs. It would be a process of discussion and consultation, not one of imposition. I repeat that I am conscious of time and, if the noble Lord does not mind me saying so, I do not think that we can take time to go through the minutiae of the commissioning process. I undertook to write further on this matter, because I think it is important that we try to establish clarity. I merely intervened because the noble Lord, Lord Lucas, implied that if I did not intervene, it meant that I agreed with his analysis, and I am afraid that I cannot on that point. We have explored this subject very well and, in the light of the assurances I have given, I hope he will consider withdrawing the amendment.