Report on proposed Additional Learning Needs LCO published
The Assembly’s Proposed Additional Learning Needs Legislative Competence Order Committee has published its report on the Welsh Assembly Government’s proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) Order 2007 relating to additional learning needs. This is the first ever report of a legislative committee of this kind.
The Proposed Additional Learning Needs Legislative Competence Order Committee was established in July 2007 to consider and report on the Assembly Government’s proposed Order relating to additional learning needs.
The Committee consulted widely across the fileds of education and training to inform its work, took evidence from the Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, and from a number of key organisations including the All Wales Speech and Language Therapy Managers’ Committee, the Disability Rights Commission, the Childern’s Commissioner for Wales and Estyn.
The Committee agrees in principle that legislative competence in the area of additional learning needs should be conferred on the National Assembly. It goes on to make a number of recommendations to the Welsh Assembly Government, which include amending the definition of the term “disability” in the proposed Order, and extending the legislative competence of the Assembly in the area of travel of persons receiving higher education.
Eleanor Burnham AM, Chair of the Committee, said: “In scrutinising the proposed Order the Committee adopted an inclusive approach to its work and has listened carefully to the view of stakeholders. This has helped ensure that the proposed Order, one of the first coming forward under the new powers introduced by the Government of Wales Act 2006, has been subject to rigorous and effective scrutiny. I would urge the Welsh Assembly Government to give due consideration to our report and recommendations before finalising the draft Order.”
Notes for editors
The
National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) Order 2007
will provide the Assembly with the power to make its own laws, known as Measures, in the field of education and training for persons with additional learning needs and disabilities.