Education Act 1996

368 Procedure for making certain orders and regulations

(1) Subject to subsection (9), this section applies where the Secretary of State proposes to make—

(a) an order under section 354(6), 355(2) or 356(2)(a) or (b), or

(b) regulations under section 363.

(2) The Secretary of State shall refer the proposal to the appropriate curriculum authority and shall give them directions as to the time within which they are to report to him.

(3) The authority shall give notice of the proposal—

(a) to such associations of local education authorities, bodies representing the interests of school governing bodies and organisations representing school teachers as appear to the authority to be concerned, and

(b) to any other persons with whom consultation appears to the authority to be desirable,

and shall give them a reasonable opportunity of submitting evidence and representations as to the issues arising.

(4) The report of the authority to the Secretary of State shall contain—

(a) a summary of the views expressed during the consultations,

(b) the authority’s recommendations as to the proposal, and

(c) such other advice relating to the proposal as the authority think fit.

(5) The authority shall, after submitting their report to the Secretary of State, arrange for the report to be published.

(6) Where the authority have reported to the Secretary of State, he shall publish in such manner as, in his opinion, is likely to bring them to the notice of persons having a special interest in education—

(a) a draft of the proposed order or regulations and any associated document, and

(b) a statement explaining his reasons for any failure to give effect to the recommendations of the authority,

and shall send copies of the documents mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b) to the authority and to each of the persons consulted by the authority.

(7) The Secretary of State shall allow a period of not less than one month for the submission of evidence and representations as to the issues arising.

(8) When the period so allowed has expired, the Secretary of State may make the order or regulations, with or without modifications.

(9) This section does not apply where—

(a) the Secretary of State proposes to make such an order as is, or such regulations as are, referred to in subsection (1), and

(b) arrangements for consultation about the proposed order or regulations were made before 1st September 1996 under section 242 of the [1993 c. 35.] Education Act 1993,

(and accordingly, the arrangements for consultation applicable in the case of the proposed order or regulations shall be those mentioned in paragraph (b) above).

(10) In subsection (2) “the appropriate curriculum authority” means—

(a) in relation to an order or regulations relating to maintained schools in England or pupils at such schools, the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority, and

(b) in relation to an order or regulations relating to maintained schools in Wales or pupils at such schools, the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales.