Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

I regret that the noble Baroness felt that my answer was totally inadequate, but I believe that it addressed the concern. Perhaps it hinges on the question of requiring the YPLA to produce an intervention statement. There has to be consultation with all the appropriate bodies on the statement. I thought that that would be welcome. After all, the noble Baroness complained about the overweening power of the YPLA, and that consultation on the statement should include local authorities. The intervention statement has to be approved by the Secretary of State. We are setting the backdrop, which is important. The noble Baroness, Lady Sharp, was concerned that I had indicated that somehow the YPLA must consult the Secretary of State before exercising its powers of intervention and that that was merely some perfunctory process. Clearly it is appropriate that the YPLA should make the first assessment on whether intervention is necessary as it is closer to what is going on. But consulting the Secretary of State is certainly not a perfunctory process before it can exercise its powers of intervention. I hoped to convey that it is an important part of the process, not just a matter of, "We are consulting and expect you to agree". We believe that we have involved the Secretary of State in the important decision. The noble Baroness is right to stress the importance of involving elected rather than appointed representatives.