§ Mr. StrawI beg to move amendment No. 63, in page 2, line 20 after 'to', insert 'subsection (2A) and'.
§ Madam Deputy Speaker (Miss Betty Boothroyd)With this it will be convenient to consider the following: Amendment No. 64, in page 2, line 24, after 'to', insert `subsection (2A) and'.
Amendment No. 62, in page 2, line 31 at end insert
'(2A) The Secretary of State shall publish in draft form, and invite representations on, any advice or guidance to be issued in respect of the proportion of time within the overall timetable to be allocated in any year to the subjects specified in subsections (1) and (2) above'.Amendment No. 65, in Page 2, line 31, at end insert—'(2A) The determination of the overall curriculum of a school by—may provide for the subjects specified in subsections (1) and (2) above to be included within the curriculum in any combination or proportion which is considered appropriate, subject to the duty to secure the implementation of the National Curriculum under section 1 Above, and nothing in this section shall prevent the inclusion of such other subjects or areas of learning experience as may be considered appopriate, either separately on in combination with any subject specified as a core or foundation subject.'.
- (a) in a county school, the headteacher in accordance with the objectives of the governing body or the local education authority under section 18 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986; or
- (b) in a voluntary school, by the governing body under section 19 of the 1986 Act
§ Mr. StrawThe amendment enables me to say a few words about the conclusion of the debate on the previous amendment, because amendment No. 63 is a paving amendment for amendment No. 62.
I can say, Miss Fookes — I apologise. I have that name on the brain because I have the name of the Under-Secretary on the brain. On one occasion when the hon. Member for Plymouth, Drake (Miss Fookes) was in the Chair, an Under-Secretary described the national curriculum variously as a three-wheeled bicycle and a fairy tricycle. In a reply to the hon. Member for High Peak (Mr. Hawkins), he accepted that the national curriculum need not apply for more than one minute in any one week. While we take the words of the Secretary of State at face value, I am not sure what he has in mind. In view of that, there have been some anxieties — for example that religious education could be crowded out of the national curriculum.
§ It being 15 minutes past Eight o'clock, MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER proceeded, pursuant to the Orders [1 and 17 February] and the resolution this day to put forthwith the Question already proposed from the Chair.
§ Amendment agreed to.
§ Clause read a Second time, and added to the Bill.
§ MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER then proceeded to put forthwith the Questions on amendments moved by a member of the Government, of which notice had been given, to that part of the Bill to be concluded at 15 minutes past Eight o'clock.