The 16th report of the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) is being published today. It covers a range of matters referred to the STRB in May 2006. Copies are available in the Vote Office, the Printed Paper Office and in the Libraries of the House and at http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/pay. In making its...

The 16th report of the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) is being published today. It covers a range of matters referred to the STRB in May 2006. Copies are available in the Vote Office, the Printed Paper Office and in the Libraries of the House and at http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/pay. In making its...

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether teachers working in academies will retain their national negotiating rights on pay and conditions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether teachers working in academies will retain their national negotiating rights on pay and conditions.

Can my hon. Friend assure me that the regulations will be written in a comprehensible form, because I did not understand the wording that he just read out? Will they specifically exclude groups such as school dinner ladies, caretakers and cleaners? Because those groups have contact with children, a particular...

Can my hon. Friend assure me that the regulations will be written in a comprehensible form, because I did not understand the wording that he just read out? Will they specifically exclude groups such as school dinner ladies, caretakers and cleaners? Because those groups have contact with children, a particular...

I detect my hon. Friend’s desire to intervene.

I detect my hon. Friend’s desire to intervene.

I will come to the genuine occupational requirement in a moment, when I am allowed to return to my prepared remarks. It is important that my hon. Friend and the hon. Member for Chesterfield (Paul Holmes) reflect on what I have said about schools that are not currently appointing support...

I will come to the genuine occupational requirement in a moment, when I am allowed to return to my prepared remarks. It is important that my hon. Friend and the hon. Member for Chesterfield (Paul Holmes) reflect on what I have said about schools that are not currently appointing support...

I am not necessarily saying that at all. Our concern in introducing this provision is that there may be schools that are reluctant to carry through the agreed work force reform because there are certain pastoral functions that they believe should be performed by people of the faith of the...

I am not necessarily saying that at all. Our concern in introducing this provision is that there may be schools that are reluctant to carry through the agreed work force reform because there are certain pastoral functions that they believe should be performed by people of the faith of the...

Further to the previous intervention, will my hon. Friend clarify what will count as a genuine occupational qualification? Secondly, why does the Bill not make it clear what such a qualification might be? We are passing a provision into law today, but we do not know exactly what will be...

Further to the previous intervention, will my hon. Friend clarify what will count as a genuine occupational qualification? Secondly, why does the Bill not make it clear what such a qualification might be? We are passing a provision into law today, but we do not know exactly what will be...

I will give way one more time, but I would like to make some progress.

I will give way one more time, but I would like to make some progress.

Will the Minister clarify the position of support staff? I was a teacher for 22 years and I have been racking my brain trying to remember which of the support staff whom I worked with in those years would have needed to be of a particular faith to do the...

Will the Minister clarify the position of support staff? I was a teacher for 22 years and I have been racking my brain trying to remember which of the support staff whom I worked with in those years would have needed to be of a particular faith to do the...

I will deal fully with that issue later, but I repeat that we do not propose to apply this provision to existing head teachers, as we will make very clear. Equally, as we introduce the order we will consult on it fully and work with our social partners to ensure...

I will deal fully with that issue later, but I repeat that we do not propose to apply this provision to existing head teachers, as we will make very clear. Equally, as we introduce the order we will consult on it fully and work with our social partners to ensure...

Amendment No. 29 inserts a new clause around staff at foundation or voluntary schools with a religious character. Subsection (1) refers to the head teacher and amends section 58 of the 1998 Act. Subsection (2) amends section 60 of the Act, and also refers to the head teacher. I shall...

Amendment No. 29 inserts a new clause around staff at foundation or voluntary schools with a religious character. Subsection (1) refers to the head teacher and amends section 58 of the 1998 Act. Subsection (2) amends section 60 of the Act, and also refers to the head teacher. I shall...

Can my hon. Friend clarify where exactly that is? I cannot see those words in amendment No. 29.

Can my hon. Friend clarify where exactly that is? I cannot see those words in amendment No. 29.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. We are not saying that they should be reserved positions, but that they could be reserved positions. We certainly do not want this to affect existing staff, and we do not believe that it will. When we bring forward the transitional arrangements and...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. We are not saying that they should be reserved positions, but that they could be reserved positions. We certainly do not want this to affect existing staff, and we do not believe that it will. When we bring forward the transitional arrangements and...

Before my hon. Friend goes on to deal with support staff, I wish to raise a point on head teachers. Am I right that his proposal is that the head teacher should henceforth be in a reserved position? What will happen to existing head teachers who are not of the...

Before my hon. Friend goes on to deal with support staff, I wish to raise a point on head teachers. Am I right that his proposal is that the head teacher should henceforth be in a reserved position? What will happen to existing head teachers who are not of the...

Before the Minister leaves the subject of head teachers, he needs to be aware of exactly what he is proposing by making head teachers reserved teachers. This is a complex issue and currently those who are not reserved teachers have protection under sections 59(2) to (4) of the School Standards...

Before the Minister leaves the subject of head teachers, he needs to be aware of exactly what he is proposing by making head teachers reserved teachers. This is a complex issue and currently those who are not reserved teachers have protection under sections 59(2) to (4) of the School Standards...

I cannot give my hon. Friend an accurate answer to his question on consultation with the NAHT. We have had some limited discussion with our social partners. My hon. Friend will know that the NAHT is not currently one of those partners, although it did originally sign up to the...

I cannot give my hon. Friend an accurate answer to his question on consultation with the NAHT. We have had some limited discussion with our social partners. My hon. Friend will know that the NAHT is not currently one of those partners, although it did originally sign up to the...

Does the Minister accept that even if he does not think that the numbers would be great, this would be significant to a head teacher who is not appointed, as one person’s career is quite significant to that person? Also, further to the answer that he gave to the hon....

Does the Minister accept that even if he does not think that the numbers would be great, this would be significant to a head teacher who is not appointed, as one person’s career is quite significant to that person? Also, further to the answer that he gave to the hon....

It is the case, but it is the case already. A voluntary controlled foundation school already can have regard to faith in appointing a head; that is in section 60(4) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. However, there is the sole technicality that they cannot be reserved teachers,...

It is the case, but it is the case already. A voluntary controlled foundation school already can have regard to faith in appointing a head; that is in section 60(4) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. However, there is the sole technicality that they cannot be reserved teachers,...

But does that not get to the point? When we agreed in 1998 that we would go for the 20 per cent. proportion, we felt that that was a settlement, but now we want head teachers to be dealt with as well—I believe that the modern term for this is...

But does that not get to the point? When we agreed in 1998 that we would go for the 20 per cent. proportion, we felt that that was a settlement, but now we want head teachers to be dealt with as well—I believe that the modern term for this is...