HC Deb 19 July 1988 vol 137 cc930-1
3. Mr. Buckley

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out the procedures to be used for appointments to bodies to be established under the terms of the Education Reform Bill; and if he will make a statement.

The Secretary of State for Education and Science (Mr. Kenneth Baker)

The Bill itself specifies the range of professional expertise and experience to be included in appointments to most of the new bodies, and appointments are made on that basis.

Mr. Buckley

In the light of the article that appeared in The Observer on 3 July, what criteria are used by the Department for appointment to the bodies held, and is membership of those bodies politically vetted by 10 Downing street?

Mr. Baker

On the latter question, I assure the hon. Gentleman that there is none whatsoever. I have made many public appointments to the bodies set up in the shadow of the Bill and to many other educational councils, including the National Curriculum Council, the School Examinations and Assessment Council, research councils and four curriculum working groups. As far as I am aware, there has been no criticism of partiality, lack of balance or lack of fairness in any of those appointments.

Mr. Holt

Does my right hon. Friend agree that he is taking a positive step for the future because, in the past, any fool, crank or nanny could get on a board of governors and contribute absolutely nothing to the well-being and education of our children?

Mr. Baker

I do not appoint governors, but I am glad that more people are coming forward to become governors. My hon. Friend the Minister of State and I very carefully go through the curriculum vitae of applicants for appointments to various bodies, and in some cases we also interview them.

Mrs. Margaret Ewing

Given that a Scottish sub-committee of the Universities Funding Council is to be established, does the Secretary of State agree that individuals appointed to that body should have the experience and expertise of having gone through a Scottish university and should have graduated from such a university, rather than from universities in other parts of the country?

Mr. Baker

I would not necessarily agree with that. Many good Scots have gone to English universities and many good English people have gone to Scottish universities. Last night the House agreed that there would be a Scottish and a Welsh sub-committee of the UFC. I also intend to appoint people with Scottish experience to the main body of the UFC.

Mr. Fatchett

Is it not now clear that, in relation to testing and appointments, the Prime Minister's Office and, in particular, the unelected and unaccountable Professor Griffiths, are in charge of education policy? Will the Secretary of State confirm that the proposed appointments of John Harvey-Jones and Peter Mortimore were vetoed by the Prime Minister and Professor Griffiths? Is it not now also clear that the criteria used for appointments are not educational, but political? Does he agree that the whole approach is political rather than educational?

Mr. Baker

Professor Griffiths is an adviser to the Prime Minister, and I am grateful for the support that he gives to the policies that I bring forward. All my appointments are announced publicly. As regards the names that the hon. Gentleman has mentioned, I refer him to the written reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell), when she said: It is not the practice to comment further on public appointments of this kind.—[Official Report, 29 June 1988; Vol. 136, c. 234.] That is mainly in the interests of the named persons.