Speeches by Daby.

“I will pass on to Fran, but before I do I just want to say that when children are placed out of borough, and if they have been moved back in, there needs to be a period of how that will work and the whole reunification.”

“Yes. You are absolutely right, which is why it needs a level of focus so that it is comparable.”

“There are data that we need to do better and that is recognised. I have been raising that since being in Government for data to do with protected characteristics and so on. That absolutely needs to be done better. There is a challenge in data collection for local authorities—not all of them, but some. There are some lo…”

“We need to make sure that what we are doing delivers, basically. We have regional co-operatives, where there will be a regional way of working to be able to assess and analyse what is happening around the whole recruitment of foster carers—where we need to recruit foster carers, where we need to do our advertising. It …”

“Thank you very much for your question. We need to keep children as near to their local areas as possible; within 20 miles is absolutely our aim, which you have quite rightly mentioned. There is a small number, but there will be some cases, where it is in the child’s interest to be placed outside that 20-mile area; that…”

“You are absolutely right about the additional expertise. You need to have the right people in the room who have the right expertise, knowledge and experience of how to deal with these types of complex situations, which can be very scary and very frightening. I think it is absolutely right to make sure that the right pr…”

“I thank the hon. Member for his intervention. Skills England is in communication with the Migration Advisory Committee and others as well. It has a broad remit as well as having a relationship with the CITB. I feel that we might be swaying outside the purpose of the Bill. I am happy to get further information if the ho…”

“I just thought I would help the hon. Member with his questions. Level 6 apprenticeships are indeed a core part of our apprenticeships offer, supporting growth and opportunity. We are reforming the apprenticeship levy into a growth and skills offer to deliver greater flexibility for learners and, indeed, employers. Deci…”

“Clause 9 contains a duty for the Secretary of State to publish and lay before Parliament, within six months after the closure of IfATE, a report setting out which functions of the Bill are being exercised by Skills England, and the impact that the exercise of functions transferred from IfATE to the Secretary of State h…”

“Clause 9 is about improving the reporting and transparency of Skills England. It shows this Government’s willingness to listen and work constructively with Members here and in the other place. I believe I have already outlined what Skills England will do, but for the sake of clarity, the Bill means that for the first t…”

“I thank the right hon. Member for raising that. Through clause 8, we are making sure that Ofqual can accredit technical qualifications where the Secretary of State deems it appropriate. I thank Members for their contributions. Clauses 7 and 8 are essential in ensuring that Skills England has the flexibility to respond …”

“Amendment 7 would require the Secretary of State’s report about the exercise of functions transferred from IfATE to include information on the impact on the provision of level 7 apprenticeships in England. The amendment would duplicate the duty in the Bill for the Secretary of State to report on the impact of the exerc…”

“I will speak to amendments 8 and 9. Clause 10 makes provision for the Secretary of State to address any consequential effects that the Bill may have on other legislation. The Department recognises and takes seriously the important role that Parliament has in scrutinising consequential amendments. That is why it has mad…”

“I want to emphasise that no one is seeking to erode standards. We are seeking to improve the skills system. We recognise the need to move things on and to quicken up the process. This Government are entirely committed to doing that. We recognise the skills gaps and the need to ensure that people have the skills needed …”

“It sounds as though that college is doing excellent work. The Bill is part of the process of delivering Skills England. It is our intention, following the Bill’s Royal Assent, to make commencement regulations promptly to bring into force the provisions that transfer IfATE’s functions, as well as the powers to transfer …”

“I will begin again, Sir Christopher. I rise to speak to clauses 1 to 3. Clause 1 introduces schedule 1, which transfers statutory functions from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education to the Secretary of State and makes minor and consequential amendments. It is our intention that functions currently …”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Christopher. I welcome the opportunity to further discuss and scrutinise the Bill following Second Reading, and I thank the Committee for its time and expertise. I am also grateful to Members of the other place, who have already provided considerable scrutiny while…”

“Will the hon. Member give way?”

“Clause 7 amends the 2009 Act to substitute a requirement for independent third-party examination of all new standards and assessment plans for a discretionary power for the Secretary of State to make arrangements to do so. The default position will remain that the Secretary of State will make arrangements for independe…”

“If the hon. Gentleman will allow me to continue a bit further, I will explain. The current approach to review is too rigid and burdensome, given the volume of standards, assessment plans and technical education qualifications. It fails to recognise the differences in starts, achievement rates and rapid changes in skill…”