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Ms Sally Keeble, supported by Miss Anne Begg, Mrs. Louise Ellman, Mr. Tom Clarke, Margaret Moran, Dr. Brian Iddon, Mr. David Kidney, Andrew Miller, Bob Russell, Peter Bottomley, Mr. Brian Binley and Andrew Selous, presented a Bill to make it an offence to cause death or serious injury by careless driving; to make further provision about badges for display on motor vehicles used by disabled persons; to make provision about the safety of school transport; and for connected purposes; and the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Friday 21 October, and to be printed. [Bill 24].
Mr. Nigel Evans, supported by David Davis, Mrs. Caroline Spelman, Mr. Robert Syms, Mr. Tobias Ellwood, Mr. Simon Burns, Mrs. Cheryl Gillan, Patrick Mercer, Miss Julie Kirkbride, Mr. Eric Pickles, Mr. James Paice and Richard Ottaway, presented a Bill to make provision about crime prevention and the built environment: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Friday 2 December, and to be printed. [Bill 25].
Mr. David Curry, supported by Sir George Young, Alan Simpson, Mr. David S. Borrow, Mr. James Gray, Adam Afriyie, Mr. Gary Streeter, Derek Wyatt, Andrew Stunell, Mr. Phil Willis, Mr. Mark Oaten and John Bercow, presented a Bill to amend the law relating to planning in connection with telecommunications masts and associated apparatus; to amend the electronic communications code in connection with telecommunications masts and associated apparatus and make further provision about that code; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Friday 24 February, and to be printed. [Bill 26].
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Mr. John Whittingdale, supported by Janet Anderson, Dr. Vincent Cable, Peter Luff, Chris Bryant, Mr. Don Foster, Mr. Hugo Swire, Jim Dowd, Pete Wishart, Mr. Nigel Evans, Lembit Öpik and Peter Bottomley, on behalf of Mr. John Whittingdale, presented a Bill to make provision about occasional sales: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Friday 14 October, and to be printed. [Bill 27].
Frank Cook, supported by Dr. Ian Gibson, Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, Dr. Richard Taylor, Mr. Alan Williams, Sir George Young, John McDonnell, Roger Berry, Peter Bottomley, Kelvin Hopkins, Mr. Mike Hancock and Lynne Jones, presented a Bill to regulate laser eye surgery: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Friday 21 October, and to be printed. [Bill 28].
Mr. Owen Paterson, supported by Mr. William Cash, Mr. David Heathcoat-Amory, Mr. Frank Field, Mrs Gwyneth Dunwoody, Nick Harvey, Mr. Edward Leigh, Mr. Desmond Swayne, Mr. Richard Shepherd, Angela Watkinson, Mrs. Theresa Villiers and Mr. Robert Goodwill, presented a Bill to provide that Community treaties, Community instruments and Community obligations shall only be binding in legal proceedings in the United Kingdom insofar as they do not conflict with a subsequent, expressly inconsistent enactment of the Parliament of the United Kingdom: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read the Second time on Friday 14 October, and to be printed. [Bill 29].
Mr. Shailesh Vara, supported by Mr. Stephen Dorrell, Dr. Ian Gibson, Bob Russell, Angela Browning, Miss Julie Kirkbride, Mr. Roger Gale, Vera Baird, Mrs. Ann Cryer, Dr. Doug Naysmith, Annette Brooke and Dr. Richard Taylor, presented a Bill to make provision about the detection and treatment of breast cancer: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Friday 20 January, and to be printed. [Bill 30].
Shona McIsaac, supported by Mr. Austin Mitchell, David Davis, Ms Diana R. Johnson, Mr. Greg Knight, Mr. Graham Stuart, Edward Miliband, Mr. Phil Willis, Mr. John Grogan and Mr. Edward Leigh, presented a Bill to amend the Humber Bridge Act 1959; to require the Secretary of State to give directions to certain members of the Humber Bridge Board in relation to healthcare; to require the Secretary of State to review the desirability of facilitating journeys across the Humber Bridge in relation to healthcare; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Friday 20 January, and to be printed. [Bill 31].
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Mr. John Grogan, supported by Tony Lloyd, Joan Walley, Nick Harvey, John Mann, Shona McIsaac, Mr. Mike Hall, Dr. Alan Whitehead, Stephen Hesford, Jon Trickett, Mr. Clive Betts and Mr. Marsha Singh, presented a Bill to make provision about supporter involvement in professional football clubs; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Friday 24 February, and to be printed. [Bill 32].
Mr. Laurence Robertson, supported by Mr David Amess, Mr. Julian Brazier and Sir Nicholas Winterton, presented a Bill to prohibit the aborting of foetuses in England and Wales unless the mother's life is at risk, or where conception has been caused by rape; to make it an imprisonable offence for anyone to carry out an abortion other than in those circumstances; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the First time; and ordered to be read a Second time on Friday 21 October, and to be printed. [Bill 33].
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Opposition Day
Special Schools and Special Educational Needs
Mr. Speaker: I have selected the amendment in the name of the Prime Minister.
1.27 pm
Mr. David Cameron (Witney) (Con): I beg to move,
That this House believes that special schools play a vital role in meeting the needs of children with learning difficulties, and that parents should have more choice between special and mainstream schools; further believes that the Government should hold a proper review of the provision of special educational needs to cover concerns about the statementing process, the continued closure of special schools, concerns about bias in the law and central government pressure to pursue policies of inclusion when they are not always appropriate; and calls for a moratorium on special school closures until such a review has been published and properly debated.
How we provide education and opportunity for those with complex needs is incredibly important. Those children include some of the most disadvantaged in the country and their families often face enormous stresses and strains in trying to bring them up and in getting what they need.
There is much common ground on both sides of the House about what we should be trying to do. Last week, the Minister for Children and Families, who is not present today, said:
"We need to ensure that the system can deliver as easily and accessibly as possible what individual parents want."—[Official Report, 16 June 2005; Vol. 435, c. 381.]
I agree with that point, but it is not actually happening.
My argument is not with what the Government say about that issue, but with what they do and with what they are allowing to happen up and down this country: special schools are closing, mainstream schools are not coping and statementing has become incredibly bureaucratic and far too much of a battle for all concerned. Inclusion has gone too far and we badly need to stop, think and get this right.
There is concern on both sides of the House on the issue. At last week's Education and Skills questions, the hon. Member for Leeds, East (Mr. Mudie) warned that parents' wishes are being completely ignored, saying:
"The private company that a past Secretary of State put in to run education is closing the "special school, threatening governors and taking no notice of parents".—[Official Report, 16 June 2005; Vol. 435, c. 378.]
How much more serious could the situation be? I am sure that we will hear more concerns today about what is happening on the ground.
The Conservative approach is clear. We are not saying that inclusion is wrong—for many children, it is right and works well—and we are not saying that the concept of statements is wrong. We need a system that recognises and meets needs. However, the Government must recognise three things. First, the inclusion agenda has gone too far. A movement that was about redressing
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a balance is going beyond achieving that and is now being applied in many cases where it harms rather than helps. Secondly, the statementing system now has serious problems resulting in many children not getting the education and services that they need. Thirdly, as a result, we believe that the whole sector needs to be fundamentally reviewed.
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