Education and Skills Bill

We come once again to a Welsh element of the Bill and something that we are getting quite used to doing but have not got round to dealing with very well—what are known as framework powers. Chapter 1 of Part 5 produces framework powers for the National Assembly for Wales. The problem that we have with framework powers—and I use the word we because the Wales Office and the opposition Wales Office are working together on a lot of these things—is to ensure that they get adequate scrutiny in Westminster and to ensure, which we have not done yet, that the Welsh National Assembly has the competence to use the framework of the framework powers devolved to it. Once again I have a number of questions for the Minister. How many independent schools in Wales will be covered by the clause? Will the changes involve setting up a separate inspectorate for independent schools or enlarging Estyn? What estimate has the Minister made of the additional costs of these changes, and what provisions are there in the Welsh budget to cover these costs? Will she clarify whether powers are being devolved to Estyn, Welsh Ministers, the Welsh Assembly, or perhaps all three? Once again, we are being asked to produce framework powers when there is still consultation in this area. With these powers, it will be possible to create new criminal offences. Is there a list of the criminal offences that it is anticipated will be created under this proposal? These are the sorts of questions that we need answers to, and the sort of scrutiny that needs to be given to this type of legislation.