Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) (Hansard, 26 February 1986)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Northern Ireland (Dr. Brian Mawhinney)
I beg to move, That the draft Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, which was laid before this House on 14th November, be approved.
The order consolidates the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 and the subsequent provisions amending that order. The principal amending provisions are contained in the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Orders of 1976, 1978, 1980 and 1984.
The Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1972, which became law in August 1972, established five area education and library boards. Among other things, the boards provide primary and secondary schools, special schools for handicapped pupils requiring special educational treatment and institutions of further education. They make contributions towards the cost of maintaining voluntary schools, provide transport for pupils and enforce school attendance. In addition, they regulate the employment of children and young persons, and secure the provision of recreational and youth service facilities. Boards are also required to develop a comprehensive and efficient library service for persons living, working or undertaking courses of education in their areas.
The five boards are representative of locally elected district councillors, transferors of the school and maintained school authorities, teachers and other persons appointed by reason of their interest in or knowledge of the services for which the boards are responsible.
The 1972 order has been extensively amended by the other orders to which I referred and as a consequence has become difficult to read. This consolidation order brings the 1972 order and all the amendments together in one enactment.
A commitment to consolidate these orders was given in May 1984 by the then Secretary of State in his response to the Speaker of the Assembly about the Assembly's report on the proposal for a draft Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1983. Recommendation No. 22 of that report called for a commitment to publish a consolidation order early in 1986. We believe that the time is now right to introduce this consolidation measure as the whole of the Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1984 is now in operation. Its final provisions—relating to children with special educational needs—were brought into operation on 1 January this year.
The Standing Orders of both Houses of Parliament enable Northern Ireland Consolidation orders to be referred automatically to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills. The Joint Committee considered the draft order on 4 December 1985 and is of the opinion that it is a purely consolidation measure. It makes no changes of substance in the existing law but brings it together in one order. Accordingly, I commend the order to the House.

§ Mr. Stuart Bell (Middlesbrough)
Within my short speech I should like to congratulate the hon. Member for Peterborough (Dr. Mawhinney) on his promotion to the Government Front Bench. I enjoy the success of other 1039 people and I enjoy the success of other hon. Members. It is with genuine pleasure that I make my remarks. The next general election is, fortunately, a long way from our thoughts tonight. I do hope that the Minister will not find himself on permanent night shift in this House on Northern Ireland business, notwithstanding talks on a higher altitude than those between us.
The order before the House is a consolidation measure, the family tree of which goes back to the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1972. The 1972 order was part consolidation and part new matter, that is, the establishment of education and library boards in place of the system that had existed until that date. The 1972 order was followed by a number of amending orders, to which the Minister has referred, concluding with the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1984. The Minister also mentioned the orders of 1976 and 1978.
The 1984 order made a number of miscellaneous amendments including amendments expressly designed to anticipate the consolidation now sought to be made. The whole of the 1984 order is now in operation, except for certain articles which came into force on 1 January of this year, pursuant to the commencement order.
As I understand it, on 1 January this year the whole of the 1984 order and the whole of the order preceding it, which goes back to 1972, is now in operation. The Minister referred briefly to special education needs. He also referred to the five boards of locally elected district councillors and to primary and secondary schools. The Opposition has a great deal to say about education in Northern Ireland but, given the rigid confines of this debate, this is not the time to embark upon them.
As a courtesy to you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and to the House, I therefore do not tarry. We shall not divide the House — not with the serried ranks behind me. I therefore commend the order to the House.

§ Dr. Mawhinney
With the leave of the House I should like to thank the hon. Gentleman for his kind and generous comments of a personal nature.