Labour & Plaid must listen on Learning and Skills Legislation

2.23.00pm GMT Tue 17th Mar 2009

Jenny Randerson warned the Government about the dangers of not thinking through the legislation

Welsh Liberal Democrats will this afternoon seek to amend the Government's Learning and Skills Measure on key points of principle. The proposed Measure, which seeks to totally reconfigure the way 14-19 learning will be left "unworkable and dangerous" if opposition amendments are not accepted this afternoon.

Among amendments tabled by Jenny Randerson are attempts to ensure that basic skills are available for all, a need for consultation with the business sector, and impartial advice for students and clarifying rules on exclusion are included in the Measure.

The Labour-Plaid Government are also attempting to overturn amendments passed at Committee stage when Janet Ryder rebelled. These ensured that no limit was set on the number of courses children could take and that Additional Learning Needs were taken into account by this legislation.

Jenny Randerson, Welsh Lib Dem Shadow Education Minister said:

"Unless the Welsh government supports the opposition amendments this afternoon and drop their attempts to overturn the amendments passed with help from Janet Ryder at Committee stage this Measure will be unworkable and dangerous.

"We cannot allow a piece of legislation to pass where there is no account taken of Additional Learning Needs, where there is no legal clarity about who is responsible for a 14 year old studying at an FE institution, and where there is no guidance on who will pay to bus pupils between sites.

"The Welsh government backbencher Janet Ryder had the guts to do what was right, rather than follow the party line, but her government colleagues are seeking to overturn the work she did with the opposition at committee stage.

"The Welsh Lib Dems will not vote in favour of this legislation unless there is movement on some of these key areas by the government."

Notes:

Information on this afternoon's legislative debate can be found at the following link:

http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-chamber/bus-chamber-third-assembly-agendas.htm?act=dis&id=120007&ds=3/2009