Academies Bill [Lords]

There are many professionals with good experience of how to consult effectively with children. Exactly the same point that the hon. Member for York Outer (Julian Sturdy) has just raised—the point about why children should not be consulted—was raised with me when I was dealing with the establishment of academies in Medway a couple of years ago. However, it is a completely spurious point, as I think my hon. Friend would agree, because even much younger children have good insights. The question is how we go about consulting them, not whether we should consult them.