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Lords Amendment No. 10: In page 16, line 31, at end insert:
( ) if within the said period the parent requires them, under subsection (4) below, to issue to him a statement of the reasons for their decision in relation to the child, earlier than the expiry of the period of twenty-eight days from the date on which that statement was issued,
§ Mr. MillanI beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.
Amendments Nos. 10, 11, 12 and 13 extend the 28-day period for appeal for a parent against an authority's decision to issue a report to the local authority that the child is unsuitable for education in a case where a parent has asked the education authority for a statement of reasons.
As originally drafted, the new subsection in Clause 10 provided that where, as a result of the ascertainment or review of a child receiving special education, it was decided that he was unsuitable for education, and accordingly there was a report made to the local authority, the report must not be issued earlier than 28 days from the issue to the parents of the notice intimating the education authority's decision, and that within that period of 28 days an appeal might be made by the parent to the Secretary of State.
We are extending the period during which an appeal might be made to take account of the case where the parent might ask for a statement of reasons. The 28 days for appeal would then run from the statement of reasons rather than from the original intimation to the parent. In other words, we are providing an additional safeguard to the parent in the circumstances of this Clause, and I am sure that it will be generally welcomed
§ Question put and agreed to.
§ Subsequent Lords Amendments agreed to.
§ Lords Amendment No. 14: In page 21, line 22, after "provide" insert "or secure the provision of".
1671§ Mr. MillanI beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.
§ This is a drafting Amendment.
§ Question put and agreed to.
§ Subsequent Lords Amendments disagreed to.