Education and Skills Bill – in a Public Bill Committee am 2:00 pm ar 28 Chwefror 2008.
Nick Gibb
Shadow Minister (Education) (Schools)
I beg to move Amendment No. 153, in Clause 80, page 49, line 7, leave out ‘51 weeks’ and insert ‘six months’.
A number of the provisions in part 4 repeat provisions from the Education Act 2002. Clause 80 essentially replicates section 159 of the 2002 Act but with changes to reflect the new term “educational institution”. Clause 80, however, prescribes a punishment for conducting an unregulated educational institution as up to 51 weeks in prison. The 2002 Act, even with amendments subsequent to 2002, carries a maximum sentence of six months. Will the Minister explain the reason for the change of policy? Is it to get more people into our jails, which appear to be lacking in customers, or is there a more specific reason?
Jim Knight
Minister of State (Schools and Learners), Department for Children, Schools and Families, Minister of State (Department for Children, Schools and Families) (Schools and Learners)
2:15,
28 Chwefror 2008
The Clause provides that anyone who runs an independent educational institution is committing an offence if he operates without registering the institution. It carries over the existing offence from the 2002 Act, in relation to independent schools, and extends it according to this part. I do not believe that the hon. Gentleman is questioning the principle of enforcement of registration; as we have just heard, he is merely questioning the reason for the change.
The clause sets out the maximum penalties that can be imposed on conviction for an offence of operating an unregistered independent educational institution. The 51 weeks maximum sentence increases the sentence of six months. That change simply reflects wider amendments to sentencing law that are set out in the Criminal Justice Act 2003, which extended the maximum sentence available to magistrates courts because short sentences have proved to be ineffective and inefficient in certain circumstances. This is not the right place to debate the sentencing requirements of the 2003 Act. On that basis, I ask the hon. Gentleman to withdraw the Amendment.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
