Education and Skills Bill

My Amendment No. 116 is in line with those tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp. It attempts to limit local authorities’ powers in relation to the employer. The duty created by Clause 2 falls on the relevant young person. Clause 10 obliges the local authority to promote the fulfilment of that duty. It seems clear that this is the core relationship in the enforcement of the Government’s plans. If the Bill is passed as it stands, there will need to be a huge increase in bureaucracy to deal with all the interweaving relationships it envisages. Subsection (4)(b) would seem to compel a local authority to establish a new duty to chase employers of young people with whom they have hitherto had no contact. Our amendment would restrict the duty of local authorities to follow up the young people who have been their responsibility. Perhaps the Minister could explain how he sees the provision working in practice. Will it not lead to a huge crossover of information by local authorities as they pass on details about young people who have found employment across the boundaries of local government areas? I hope that our amendment will be recognised as an attempt to make the workings of the Bill more efficient.