Further Education and Training Bill [HL] — 25 Jul 2007 at 17:24

commons amendments

<[i>The page and line references are to HL Bill 75 as first printed for the Lords.]

After Clause 16, insert the following new Clause-

"Intervention: England

Before section 57 of FHEA 1992, insert-

"56A Intervention: England

(1) This section applies if the Learning and Skills Council for England is satisfied as to one or more of the matters listed in subsection

(2) in the case of an institution in England within the further education sector; and it is immaterial whether or not a complaint is made by any person.

(2) The matters are-

(a) that the institution's affairs have been or are being mismanaged by the institution's governing body;

(b) that the institution's governing body have failed to discharge any duty imposed on them by or for the purposes of any Act;

(c) that the institution's governing body have acted or are proposing to act unreasonably with respect to the exercise of any power conferred or the performance of any duty imposed by or under any Act;

(d) that the institution is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform, or is failing or likely to fail to give an acceptable standard of education or training.

(3) If this section applies the council may do one or more of the things listed in subsection (5).

(4) If the council does one or more of those things, it must at the same time give the institution's governing body a notice stating-

(a) the matter or matters listed in subsection (2) as to which the council is satisfied;

(b) the reasons why the council is so satisfied;

(c) the reasons why the council has decided to do that thing or those things.

(5) The council may-

(a) remove all or any of the members of the institution's governing body;

(b) appoint new members of that body if there are vacancies (however arising);

(c) give to that body such directions as it thinks expedient as to the exercise of their powers and performance of their duties.

(6) The directions that may be given to a governing body under this section include a direction requiring a governing body to make collaboration arrangements (within the meaning of section 166 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006) with such bodies and on such terms as may be specified in the direction.

(7) Directions may be given to a governing body under this section despite any enactment making the exercise of a power or performance of a duty contingent on the body's opinion.

(8) The council may not direct a governing body under subsection (5)(c) to dismiss a member of staff.

(9) But subsection (8) does not prevent the council, where it considers that it may be appropriate to dismiss a member of staff whom the governing body have power under their institution's articles of government to dismiss, from giving the governing body such directions under this section as are necessary to secure that the procedures applicable to the consideration of the case for dismissal of that member of staff are given effect to in relation to that member of staff.

(10) A governing body must comply with any directions given to them under this section.

(11) An appointment of a member of a governing body under this section shall have effect as if made in accordance with the instrument of government and articles of government of the institution concerned.

56B Intervention policy: England

(1) The Learning and Skills Council for England must-

(a) prepare a statement of its policy with respect to the exercise of its powers under section 56A,

(b) keep it under review, and

(c) if it considers it appropriate in consequence of a review, prepare a revised statement of its policy.

(2) When preparing a statement or revised statement of its policy, the council must-

(a) undertake such consultation as it thinks appropriate;

(b) consider any representations made to it about the policy to be set out in the statement.

(3) The Secretary of State may give the council guidance in relation to the exercise of its functions under subsections (1) and (2), and in particular in relation to the form and content of the policy.

(4) It is the duty of the council to have regard to any guidance given to it under subsection (3).

(5) The council must send a copy of the statement or revised statement prepared by it to the Secretary of State.

(6) If the Secretary of State approves it he shall lay a copy of it before each House of Parliament.

(7) The council must publish-

(a) the statement of its policy approved by the Secretary of State;

(b) where the Secretary of State approves a revised statement of its policy, the revised statement.

(8) The council must have regard to the statement most recently published under subsection (7) in exercising, or deciding whether to exercise, any of its powers under section 56A in relation to an institution.

56C Directions

(1) This section applies if-

(a) the Secretary of State is satisfied as to one or more of the matters listed in section 56A(2) in the case of an institution in England within the further education sector, and

(b) the Secretary of State is satisfied that the circumstances are such that it would be appropriate for the Learning and Skills Council for England to do one or more of the things listed in section 56A(5) in relation to the institution.

(2) In such a case the Secretary of State may give to the council such directions as he thinks fit as to the exercise of the council's powers under section 56A.

(3) Where the Secretary of State gives the council a direction under this section, he must at the same time give the council a notice stating the matter or matters listed in section 56A(2) as to which he is satisfied.

(4) The council must comply with any directions given to it under this section.

(5) Where the council does a thing listed in section 56A(5) in relation to an institution in compliance with a direction under this section-

(a) the council must give the institution's governing body a copy of the relevant notice under subsection (3), and

(b) the requirement to give a notice under section 56A(4) does not apply.""

rose to move Amendment No. 1A, as an amendment to the Motion that the House do agree with the Commons in their Amendment No. 1, leave out "agree" and insert "disagree".

On Question, Whether the said amendment (No. 1A) shall be agreed to?

Their Lordships divided: Contents, 159; Not-Contents, 157.

Debate in Parliament | Source |