HL Deb 25 March 2002 vol 633 c27WA
Baroness Blatch

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Under the Education Bill, how many additional staff will be required to assess all applications to innovate under Chapter 2 and also to assess all applications under Chapter 3. [HL3355]

Baroness Ashton of Upholland

Chapters 2 and 3 in the Education Bill refer to earned autonomy and powers to form companies.

We intend to consult widely on which flexibilities under Chapter 2 will be available as of right and which on a discretionary basis before regulations are laid. Until consultations have been completed, it is not possible to say precisely how many additional staff will be required, but the intention is to design procedures to minimise bureaucracy and extra staff and enable as many flexibilities as possible to be made available automatically.

Under Chapter 3, the relevant LEA has a role in determining whether or not schools may form or join school companies. However, the LEA may only refuse schools permission to join in limited circumstances, to be set out in regulations. We therefore do not expect this task to be an onerous one and so do not expect there to be a need for LEAs to employ additional staff.