Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill

My Lords, we have some reservations about Amendment 216. We recognise that a sixth-form corporation, as specified in new Section 33E, may have much the same provision as an FE college, so in many cases the conversion may be straightforward. However, two years is a very short time in the life of an academic establishment to test the market and to prepare for and implement organisational and institutional changes. Five years seems a reasonable timescale. As for the governors, one would hope that there would be consultation in every case between the governing board and the LEA. The LEA is proposing to appoint only one person to the board, so we agree that consultation would be desirable, but the Bill could stand as it is drafted.