Academies Bill receives third reading
14 July 2010 (updated on 14 July 2010)
The Academies Bill received its third reading, a final opportunity to debate and change the contents of the Bill, in the House of Lords on Tuesday 13 July
- Watch the debate on the third reading of the Academies Bill
- Lords Hansard: read the debate on the third reading of the Academies Bill
Issues under discussion included:
- election of parent governors of the school by parents of children at the school
- consultation on conversion to academy status with appropriate parties, including parents, pupils, teaching and non-teaching staff and their representatives, neighbouring schools and the local authority
- information provided to appropriate parties in a consultation on conversion to academy status
- criteria for the assessment of the impact of additional schools on maintained schools, academies and institutions in a local area, including the effect of additional competition
- provision of information annually about the academy arrangements entered into and performance of academy schools.
There was a division – or vote – on an amendment two to clause 2: Payments under academy agreements. The amendment, moved by Baroness Wilkins, was concerned with:
- spending to provide services to pupils with low incidence special educational needs or disabilities registered at an academy school
- intervention by the Secretary of State for Education to make alternative arrangements where a local authority fails to secure satisfactory provision for pupils with low incidence special educational needs or disabilities.
The amendment was agreed, representing a defeat for the Government on this issue. This amendment was made to the Bill, together with the other amendments agreed without division.
All proposals for changes to the Bill are published in a marshalled list of amendments on the day before the third reading.
The Bill with amendments was sent to the House of Commons for consideration of the amendments made in the Lords.