Academies Bill [Lords]

I will in a moment. Proposed new subsection 8A is very well intentioned, but clause 2(6) also states that the Secretary of State may intervene when"““a local authority fails to secure satisfactory provision for pupils with low incidence special educational needs or disabilities””." What does that actually mean? It is all very well to put that proposal into the Bill, but how will it be funded, organised and co-ordinated? How are we going to decide in a meaningful way what"““low incidence special educational needs or disabilities””" means? This is a huge problem. I am not criticising the Government; I think the inclusion of those words is very good. I would rather have the problem of trying to identify what they mean than not have them in the Bill, which would risk people not having those needs met. The inclusion of the provision raises the serious question of how it is to be funded. Where will the funding come from? How much is it expected to be? Who will co-ordinate the arrangements if, instead of the local authority, we have lots of independent academies, special schools and free schools? How is this part of the Bill going to be achieved?