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Mr. Willis: What about exclusions?
Mr. Blunkett: The hon. Gentleman rightly reminds me of that issue. The answer to the question that he raised in his speech is that city academies will be dealt with on the same basis. The hon. Member for Hertsmere asked about children attending a school that becomes a city academy. If a city academy replaces an existing school, they are obviously part of its core entry. That must be so, because the whole objective, unlike that of CTCs, is to transform the life chances and educational opportunities of the very children who have been losing out. That is why the city academy approach is being tried, to ensure that we get it right.
To those who ask "Why not simply extend it to everybody?" I reply "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Mr. Blunkett: I don't know about "Ah". I recall the argument that the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Mr. Willis) raised a few moments ago, which made me angry. If a school is doing well, reinforce it, support it, encourage it, celebrate the work of the head and the teachers. If it needs a fresh start, let it have one, rather than allowing it to close.
5.45 pm
Mr. Clappison: On the point about what happens to existing pupils, does the Secretary of State agree that the prospectus is hardly crystal clear? It states:
- Where an Academy replaces an existing school, suitable arrangements will have been made to provide for the education of all pupils from the school being replaced.
Mr. Blunkett: We are considering parental preference. When a school is failing, some parents may well wish to send their children to other schools, and I would not preclude them from doing that.
Let me consider briefly the other topics that have been mentioned. First, I am not sure why the Opposition tabled amendments on special educational needs. Either they, like us, want special needs children to be admitted or they do not. It is an outrage if they do not; if they do, I am not sure why they have tabled the amendments. If they decide to press them, we shall know the answer. I have stated our position on ensuring the admittance of special needs children, and I hope that the Opposition will not press their amendments.
Mr. Clappison: If the Secretary of State has got the idea that the Opposition do not want children with special educational needs to attend city academies, there is no
basis for it. We pressed the point with the Minister in Committee. As I hope I made it clear in my opening speech, we tabled the amendment to press the Government on their plans for consultation.
Mr. Blunkett: Good. I am glad that the hon. Gentleman has been able to press the Government.
Site value has been mentioned. I want to put it on the record that if the land initially acquired for the city academy was sold as part of a programme of renewal and replacement, the original site value, adjusted for inflation, would be returned to the donor, whether a local authority or a sponsor.
I want to deal with the points that my hon. Friends the Members for Bristol, West (Valerie Davey) and for Leeds, Central made. I am pleased to accept amendments Nos. 71 and 72. The purpose of our endeavour is to gain co-operation in raising standards. If, through consultation and inclusion, we can ensure that people are engaged with and support the process, that must be the right way forward. In conjunction with that, we must ensure that people are part of and positively engaged with excellence in cities, when an academy exists in an excellence in cities area now or in future. I shall make that explicit in the funding agreement.
We can therefore put to rest once and for all the idea that we are dealing with a Trojan horse. We are dealing with an endeavour to co-operate with a policy that will transform the standing of a school, the standard of education for the pupils, and the commitment of sponsors and partners to making it work. It will, through a specialism, bring lifeblood into a school that would otherwise be in danger of closing as parents opted to take their children elsewhere.
We are pleased to take the line that we reinforce aspects that are working well. Intervention must be in inverse proportion to success. However, when schools are failing, we have an obligation to the children to substitute the reality of action for past dogma, to ensure that those children get the education that they deserve.
Clause read a Second time, and added to the Bill.
Clause 124
Amendment made: No. 71, in page 59, line 32, at end insert--
'( ) After subsection (3A) insert--
"(3B) Before entering into an agreement under this section in relation to a school to be known as a city academy, the Secretary of State must consult the local education authorities referred to in subsection (3C) about the establishment of the school.
(3C) The authorities are--
(a) the local education authority in whose area the school is to be situated, and
(b) if the Secretary of State thinks a significant proportion of the pupils at the school is likely to be resident within the area of another local education authority, that authority.".'.--[Mr. Blunkett.]
Mr. Deputy Speaker: It would be helpful if hon. Members were a little more audible when the Question was put. That would assist the occupant of the Chair.
Schedule 8
Amendments made: No. 107, in page 94, line 31, at end insert--
'or the Secretary of State thinks it is about to be no longer so used.'.
No. 72, in page 94, line 31, at end insert--
'(d) before making the scheme the Secretary of State consulted the authority.'.
No. 108, in page 94, line 47, at end insert--
'(4A) A scheme must be so expressed that it does not come into force while the land concerned is used as mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(b).'.
No. 109, in page 95, line 1, after first "force" insert "(a)".
No. 110, in page 95, line 1, at end insert--
', or
(b) on the day it otherwise identifies as the day for it to come into force.'.
No. 111, in page 95, line 14, leave out from first "to" to end of line 15 and insert--
'make a disposal in respect of the interest, or to enter into a contract to make a disposal in respect of it, or to grant an option to make an acquisition in respect to it.'.
No. 112, in page 95, line 21, leave out "to" and insert "in favour of".
No. 113, in page 95, line 24, leave out "acquire" and insert "make an acquisition".
No. 114, in page 95, line 35, leave out "dispose" and insert--
'make a disposal in respect'.
No. 115, in page 95, line 37, after "interest" insert "concerned".
No. 116, in page 95, line 41, after "disposal" insert "in respect".
No. 117, in page 95, line 43, after "interest" insert "concerned".
No. 118, in page 96, line 10, at end insert--
'3A.--(1) For the purposes of paragraphs 2 and 3--
(a) references to a disposal in respect of an interest are to a disposal of the whole interest or of a lesser interest;
(b) references to an acquisition in respect of an interest are to an acquisition of the whole interest or of a lesser interest.
(2) If the disposal referred to in paragraph 3(3) or (5) is a disposal of a lesser interest, the reference there to the interest concerned is to the lesser interest.'.
No. 119, in page 96, line 10, at end insert--
'Restriction on appropriation
3B.--(1) Sub-paragraph (2) applies if--
(a) a freehold or leasehold interest in land is held by a local education authority,
(b) at any time in the period of 5 years ending with the day on which this Act is passed the land was used wholly or mainly for the purposes of a county school or community school, and
(c) the authority proposes to make an appropriation of the land under section 122 of the Local Government Act 1972.
(2) Unless the Secretary of State consents, the authority must not make the appropriation.
3C.--(1) This paragraph applies if an authority makes an appropriation in contravention of paragraph 3B(2).
(2) The Secretary of State may purchase the interest concerned compulsorily.
(3) Paragraph 3(6) to (9) apply to a compulsory purchase of an interest under sub-paragraph (2) above as they apply to a compulsory purchase of an interest under paragraph 3(5).'.
No. 120, in page 96, line 26, at end insert--
'and
(c) the first or the second condition set out below is satisfied.
(1A) The first condition is that-'.
No. 121, in page 96, line 29, at end insert--
'(1B) The second condition is that, although the school concerned continues to be a city academy, the interest ceases to be held for the purposes of the city academy.'.
No. 122, in page 96, line 32, leave out "(b)" and insert--
'(2A) Sub-paragraph (1A) applies'.
No. 123, in page 96, line 36, leave out "mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(d)" and insert "holding it".--[Mr. Blunkett.]
'.(1) The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 shall be amended as follows.
(2) After section 104(3) there is inserted--
"(3A) Where the Secretary of State is satisfied that within a prescribed local education authority more than four per cent. of pupils admitted to secondary schools in the year 1999-2000 were admitted to grammar schools, that local education authority shall be designated as having a selective education policy."
(3) In section 106(3)(a), after "above" there is inserted "(save that where a local education authority operates a selective education policy as designated under section 104(3A), and no ballot under section 105(2)(a) has previously been conducted within that local education authority area, the request for a ballot must be made by a number of eligible parents equal to at least one per cent. of all parents falling within (1)(a) or (b) above).".'.--[Dr. Ladyman.]
Brought up, and read the First time.
Dr. Stephen Ladyman (South Thanet): I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.
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