HC Deb 01 November 1994 vol 248 cc1519-20

87A.—(1) The Secretary of State may appoint a person to be an inspector for the purposes of this section if—

  1. (a) that person already acts as an inspector for other purposes in relation to independent schools to which section 87(1) applies, and
  2. (b) the Secretary of State is satisfied that the person is an appropriate person to determine whether the welfare of children provided with accommodation by such schools is adequately safeguarded and promoted while they are accommodated by them.

(2) Where—

  1. (a) the proprietor of an independent school to which section 87(1) applies enters into an agreement in writing with a person appointed under subsection (1),
  2. (b) the agreement provides for the person so appointed to have in relation to the school the function of determining whether section 87(1) is being complied with, and
  3. (c) the local authority in whose area the school is situated receive from the person with whom the proprietor of the school has entered into the agreement notice in writing that the agreement has come into effect,
the authority's duty under section 87(3) in relation to the school shall be suspended.

(3) Where a local authority's duty under section 87(3) in relation to any school is suspended under this section, it shall cease to be so suspended if the authority receive—

  1. (a) a notice under subsection (4) relating to the person with whom the proprietor of the school entered into the relevant agreement, or
  2. (b) a notice under subsection (5) relating to that agreement.

(4) The Secretary of State shall terminate a person's appointment under subsection (1) if—

  1. (a) that person so requests, or
  2. (b) the Secretary of State ceases, in relation to that person, to be satisfied that he is such a person as is mentioned in paragraph (b) of that subsection,
and shall give notice of the termination of that person's appointment to every local authority.

(5) Where—

  1. (a) a local authority's duty under section 87(3) in relation to any school is suspended under this section, and
  2. (b) the relevant agreement ceases to have effect,
the person with whom the proprietor of the school entered into that agreement shall give to the authority notice in writing of the fact that it has ceased to have effect.

(6) In this section"—

  1. (a) "proprietor" has the same meaning as in the Education Act 1944, and
  2. (b) references to the relevant agreement, in relation to the suspension of a local authority's duty under section 87(3) as regards any school, are to the agreement by virtue of which the authority's duty under that provision as regards that school is suspended.