Education and Skills Bill

I thank noble Lords who supported these amendments or at least one of them. I thank the Minister for his further consideration of whether Amendment No. 50 should be included in the Bill. As regards his concern that it might be too prescriptive, by their very nature these learning and support contracts are exactly the opposite of that. I do not want to be too prescriptive about the way that local authorities work with young people to put the appropriate package of learning and support together. The very fact that they must be personally tailored militates against the possibility of their being too prescriptive. Therefore, I do not share that concern. I understand the distinction that the noble Lord drew between Amendment No. 15 and Amendment No. 50 and between the learning and support contracts and the other kinds of education specified in the Bill. However, I notice that Clause 4(1)(b) ends with the words ““or otherwise””. Might not a learning and support contract be regarded as ““or otherwise”” provision? I hope that he will consider that. Perhaps he is able to answer me now.