HC Deb 23 November 2000 vol 357 cc420-2
3. Mr. Nick St. Aubyn (Guildford)

If he will make a statement on the role of Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools. [138359]

The Secretary of State for Education and Employment (Mr. David Blunkett)

The role of Her Majesty's chief inspector is to inspect, report and provide advice underpinned by the evidence of inspection.

Mr. St. Aubyn

Does not his dithering over the appointment of a successor to Mr. Woodhead demonstrate that the Secretary of State simply cannot decide whether he is on the side of the handful of Ofsted's critics in the teaching profession or on the side of parents and their kids who want Ofsted to continue the fight for higher standards in our schools?

Mr. Blunkett

I do not remember anyone appointing someone as quickly as I have done. I appointed Mike Tomlinson for a fixed-term contract for the coming year, at his request given the point that he has reached in his career. I am pleased to say that we shall advertise, receive applications and then appoint the best person to draw down on the evidence available and to use that evidence base to evaluate progress and to reveal to us where there is failure, so that, together, we can take action to do something about it.

Mr. Roger Casale (Wimbledon)

Will my right hon. Friend join me in congratulating Merton local education authority and the out-going director of education, Jenny Cairns, on the good Ofsted report that they have recently received? Does he agree that, at a time when the Tory Opposition are still running down schools in my constituency and across the country, having spent years in government running down the finances of schools and the morale of teachers, it is important that we have in Ofsted a strong, independent voice to tell us the real situation, identify the problems that we need to tackle, and give us the chance to get on with raising education standards?

Mr. Blunkett

I congratulate all those who have been working so hard in the borough of Merton to raise standards and continue progress. I was there very recently, as my hon. Friend knows. I agree with him entirely on the definition of the role of Ofsted.

Mr. David Ruffley (Bury St. Edmunds)

Was the Secretary of State very disappointed to see Mr. Woodhead resign as chief inspector?

Mr. Blunkett

I seem to remember answering exactly the same question from John Humphrys on the day after the announcement that the chief inspector was to step down. I give the hon. Gentleman exactly the same answer. Chris Woodhead and I have been through a great deal together. Therefore, naturally, having been responsible for his reappointment, I was disappointed.

Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the right hon. Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (Sir E. Heath) said when Margaret Thatcher was defeated, "Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice"? We say the same now that Chris Woodhead has gone. Apparently, he is going to write for the Tory The Daily Telegraph and join the Tory party, doing a swap with a fellow called William Newton Dunn, who has left the Tories.

Mr. Blunkett

I do remember precisely what we said 10 years ago yesterday.

Mrs. Theresa May (Maidenhead)

Does the Secretary of State agree that the key roles—[Hon. MEMBERS: "Rejoice!"] I certainly rejoice at the compliment paid to the London borough of Merton, as I chaired its education authority.

Does the Secretary of State agree that the key roles of the chief inspector are to ensure a rigorous, independent inspection regime, maintaining high standards in our schools, as ably shown by Chris Woodhead during his tenure of office? Despite the Secretary of State's protestations, does not his appointment of only an acting chief inspector for a year show the contempt in which he holds Ofsted and his desire to push the decision beyond a general election, in the hope that Labour wins and he can then appoint one of his cronies and emasculate Ofsted as a force for good in our schools?

Mr. Blunkett

When we win the general election, who knows whom the Prime Minister will appoint to the office of Secretary of State?

Let me make it absolutely clear that I of course accept the definition of the role of Ofsted that the hon. Lady has enunciated. Over the past three and a half years, we could not have made our position clearer on rooting out failure, tackling under-achievement, raising standards and providing both pressure and support to do so. The role of Ofsted is to reveal. Our job, in conjunction with schools and pro-active education authorities, is to raise standards having picked up the evidence.

I do not intend to go into the details of Mike Tomlinson's position, but one thing was absolutely clear: we needed stability in Ofsted. We needed someone who was trusted by teachers, parents, myself and fellow Ministers. We needed someone who could carry us forward in the next year with the absolute certainty that the rigour of Ofsted would continue, that the pressure and support would be balanced fairly and that we would receive the evidence on which we could act to ensure that every child has a decent education.

Mr. Ian Pearson (Dudley, South)

Does my right hon. Friend agree that an irritant is often needed to make a system work? Whatever one thinks of Chris Woodhead he was certainly irritating, and will undoubtedly be so in another capacity. However, he was also a passionate champion of our kids. Will my right hon. Friend ensure that Ofsted continues to take a rigorous, robust attitude to evaluating the performance of teachers, schools and local education authorities?

Mr. Blunkett

The answer is unequivocally yes.