§ 8. Mr. Graham Brady (Altrincham and Sale, West)How many representations he has received from parents of grammar school pupils in the recent consultation document. [48095]
§ The Minister for School Standards (Mr. Stephen Byers)The draft grammar school ballot regulations were issued for consultation on 3 June. The consultation period is continuing and will end on 31 July.
§ Mr. BradyI thank the Minister for that answer. Will he accept my warm congratulations on the wisdom that he and his colleagues have shown in selecting Ashton-on-Mersey school in my constituency as a beacon school? Does he agree that that is a tribute to a selective system of education that is working well? The pupils who do not go to grammar schools in the borough of Trafford, far from being consigned to failure at the age of 11 as he and Labour Members suggest, are consigned to beacon schools. Is that not a tribute to a system of education that has some of the best results in the country?
§ Mr. ByersNo, it is a tribute to a Government who are prepared to put dogma to one side in the interests of children. The 75 schools that we announced as beacon schools on Tuesday demonstrate a range of abilities and talents, whether they are selective, non-selective or comprehensive. Wherever they are, if good work is going on, we want them to share the secrets of their success. 1229 We will put the interests of children first and we believe that the interests of all children are best served in a non-selective education system.
§ Mr. Damian Green (Ashford)I am interested by the Minister's comment that he is against dogma, but against selective education as a matter of dogma. Among the 75 beacon schools that he identified this week as providing best practice was Torquay grammar school. Will he confirm that he would not want that school to be changed in any significant way because he has identified it as a beacon school? Will he urge local Labour activists to desist from any attempt to change its status, lest parents, governors and teachers at the school think him guilty of hypocrisy?
§ Mr. ByersThe future of Torquay grammar school is a matter for local parents in Torquay, as is appropriate. I have no doubt that if a school is doing well, it will have parental support and there is nothing for it to fear. Let us be open. The policy of the Labour party and the Government is clear. We are not going to return to the days when at 11, the majority of our children were condemned as failures so that a few could have a superior education. Our goal in government is to ensure that all children have a high-quality education, and we intend to achieve it.