HC Deb 22 May 1996 vol 278 cc287-9
14. Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many representations she has received in favour of the publication of secondary school league tables in the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement. [29106]

Mrs. Gillan

We receive many representations on school performance tables. Research shows that more than three quarters of parents choosing a secondary school for their children support the publication of such information.

Mr. Llwyd

I thank the Minister for that answer. Does not the Government's near obsession with league tables create a great deal of difficulty for those who are socially and perhaps also educationally deprived? Is this not a very divisive policy? Is the Minister aware of the recent concerns of the national association of therapeutic education, which stated that an ever increasing number of children have been marginalised from the mainstream system? Is not this truly a divisive policy that has no place in a civilised society?

Mrs. Gillan

I do not agree with the hon. Gentleman. I am afraid that he will just have to get used to the idea that performance tables are here to stay. There are clear expectations among parents, students and the public that such information will continue to be provided. I cannot understand why some people wish to deny parents valuable information about their children's progress. Secondary performance tables inform choice, strengthen accountability and raise standards for 16 to 18-year-olds.

Mr. Stephen

I welcome performance tables, but is it not remarkable that although the Government now provide more money per pupil than ever before in the nation's history, education results in so many parts of the country have been so poor? Could it be something to do with the fact that although central Government have to take the responsibility, education is delivered mainly by left-wing education authorities, which are more interested in social engineering than in education?

Mrs. Gillan

My hon. Friend makes a valuable point. The purpose of performance tables is that they enable us to study the progress made in schools so that we can ascertain where performance needs to be improved. Indeed, we recently consulted on the 1996 tables, and decisions on the new basis of the tables with probably very minor changes will be made in June.

Mr. O'Hara

Is not it a fact that crude league tables such as those supported by the Government are not only useless but possibly misleading if they ignore value added? They certainly do not help parents to make informed choices; indeed, they mislead parents into making uninformed choices. Does not the Minister recognise that, useful though league tables are, we must ensure that full information if provided to parents, as the Labour party has always advocated? Does she accept that if they do not provide full information, the tables proposed by the Government will be as useful as those that would put the Minister in the same league as Sally Gunnell for running a 440 yd hurdle race?

Mrs. Gillan

As usual, the hon. Gentleman is way behind the debate. He should appreciate that, as I said, league tables are here to stay. The debate is not about whether tables should be published but about what information should be published and how. Independent research on league tables carried out by audience selection showed that more than half of parents of five to 16-year-olds thought it important to have performance information. More than three quarters of parents choosing a secondary school, including some Opposition Front Benchers, support the publication of information in performance tables and find the tables helpful when making their choices. Opposition Front Benchers prove that with their choice of schools for their own children.