HC Deb 09 September 2003 vol 410 cc277-301

Motion made, and Question put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 15 (Exempted business), That, at this day's sitting, proceedings on the Motions in the name of the Leader of the Opposition may be proceeded with, though opposed, until Eight o'clock.—[Mr. Kemp.] Question agreed to.

Andrew Selous

It is incredibly difficult to set a school budget if one is not clear about exactly what moneys will be allocated at the start of the year. The person who sets a school budget will probably be the chair of the finance committee. That person will be a school governor with a full-time job and a family, who probably undertakes other activities in the community as well. It is extremely difficult for such people to plan properly in respect of staff and major capital programmes if they are not sure what money they will get during the year.

I take the point made earlier by the hon. Member for West Bromwich, West (Mr. Bailey) that some money does have to be retained at the centre, for special needs. He gave the interesting example of New Zealand, where they got rid of LEAs and then had to reinstate them. If that fact was unearthed by the Select Committee, it shows the value of those Committees looking at what is happening around the world. I therefore do not advocate the abolition of LEAs, but I believe that the balance between direct funding to schools and the money retained by either central Government or the LEA is wrong. I should like to increase the 70 per cent. figure by a large amount.

Mention has been made in the debate of new teachers coming into the profession. I acknowledge that the figures are healthy, and show that more people are going into teacher training college than was the case last year. I suspect that that is partly the result of the golden hellos that have been introduced, which will go some way towards paying off student loans. That is all well and good, and the measure was a sensible one for the Government to take.

However, I am very worried about retention in the teaching profession. It is a real issue. All hon. Members know that, in any great public profession—such as teaching, medicine or the police—there are huge advantages to be gained from continuity and experience. Teachers who have been in the profession for many years will have coped with many difficult situations, and they therefore bring great wisdom and depth of experience to the job. It is extremely worrying that so many teachers leave the profession after only three or four years.

I was very interested in the research mentioned by my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) into the reasons why teachers are leaving the profession. About six months ago, I went into an upper school in my constituency as part of a citizenship education programme. The day's activity went extremely well, but I found myself in sole charge of a class. I do not think that it was supposed to happen: the children were about 15 or 16 years of age and quite lively. The class was fairly large, and I found getting the children's attention and saying what I wanted to say quite exhausting. The exercise had to do with setting a local authority budget, and I wanted to look at the children's priorities for the community. That was not something that they had considered before, but I hasten to say that it was the school's idea, not mine. It was a very good exercise, and I was trying to get them to think about the different needs of the community.

Mr. Bailey

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the exercise would have been considerably more difficult if it had been held eight years ago?

Andrew Selous

I might say that that makes it 15-all, but the intervention was not relevant to my point.

I found it personally draining to have to keep the pupils' attention, to keep order and to stop conversations going on at the back of the class as I got pupils to focus on what we were trying to do. I did that three or four times in a couple of different classes one morning. As I left, I said that that was indeed fairly draining work which gave me a good insight into the problems that teachers have day in and day out. 1 understand from the survey undertaken by the General Teaching Council in January that the main reasons why teachers leave the profession are badly behaved pupils and the constant struggle of having to keep discipline when they want to impart knowledge and teach their subjects. How much that saps morale is difficult to know for anyone who has not done it.

That is why I will see the Secretary of State at 11 am tomorrow to raise the issue of antisocial behaviour and parenting in relation to schools. I am going with the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) who shares my concerns. It is no surprise that we are joining together to do that—Members on both sides of the House are concerned. It is time that we came together across the country to agree that the situation is intolerable. The problem was highlighted recently by the chief inspector of schools, David Bell, for whom I have great respect, and whom I know reasonably well because he is a former chief executive of Bedfordshire county council and I have travelled to London with him by train from time to time. He made some interesting comments two or three weeks ago about the extreme difficulties that primary and lower schools have when children arrive lacking any sort of the social skills that would have been taken for granted 10, 15 or 20 years ago.

Jonathan Shaw

Does the hon. Gentleman agree that his comments about the chief inspector endorse the work of the sure start programme in the most deprived areas? He has said time and again that he welcomes extra money for teacher recruitment and various initiatives, but when it comes down to it, he votes against that money.

Andrew Selous

The hon. Gentleman keeps resorting to relatively cheap attacks. I was trying to engage in discussion about a matter that I think is of important cross-party interest. There is a national problem, whether we are Labour, Liberal, Conservative or anything else. That is why I am joining a Labour Member tomorrow in seeing the Secretary of State.

We can argue about the mechanisms by which we deal with the problem. Sure start will have its advocates but since that initiative does not apply to my area—even though we have extreme pockets of deprivation—I cannot speak of it from first-hand experience. I can say that the work done by home start, which is to be expanded and of which there are examples in my constituency, is excellent. I myself would try to empower parents more, perhaps helping those who have not had the benefit of being well parented themselves to improve the way in which they parent their own children. There are different ways to approach the problem, but I am convinced that we must recognise that there is a national problem. We cannot expect teachers in lower and primary schools to do that work as well as teaching children. We need a national agreement, and the challenge for the Government and the country is to do something about the social skills of young children in the same way that we have tried to make improvements in other areas.

I agree that more male teachers in primary and lower schools are needed. In all the lower schools that I have visited in my constituency over the past few years, I have seen probably only one or two male teachers. The presence of such teachers is important, particularly for those children who do not have a father at home or a male role model in the household. We all know of wonderful examples of male teachers in lower and primary schools who are excellent role models to whom children relate well, which is important for their development. We need to take that seriously.

7.9 pm

James Purnell (Stalybridge and Hyde)

What is this debate really about? It is really about spreading cynicism about education in this country. The Opposition cannot stand the facts that education results are improving and extra money is going into our schools—and they cannot promise to match it, so they are trying to erect a smokescreen and distract people's attention from the real improvements on the ground.

Teacher shortages are an issue. Some schools have experienced quite severe problems, which was acknowledged by my right hon. and hon. Friends on the Treasury Bench. However, may I draw people's memory back to the days when the Conservatives adjusted the education funding formula? There were no floors and ceilings and local authorities had to make cuts of millions of pounds overnight.

Andrew Selous

No one in the Opposition believes that the Government set out to bring about the loss of hundreds, or probably thousands, of teacher and learning support assistant places. Does the hon. Gentleman accept, however, that the means whereby the Government have chosen to fund education mean that they have given with one hand and taken away from school budgets with the other? It is sheer incompetence and a failure to understand both education funding and the effects of increases for pensions and national insurance that have brought us to the current problem.

James Purnell

I do not accept that at all. As the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Skills, my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, Southgate (Mr. Twigg), has just explained to the hon. Gentleman, the overall number of teachers has risen. There is a big change in the funding formula, with associated transition costs, but my point to Opposition Members is that a severe contrast is offered by the days when millions of pounds were cut from local authorities such as mine to gerrymander the funding formula to allow Wandsworth and Westminster to set extremely low taxes. We all remember exactly why that was done.

The change was justified. When I was selected for Stalybridge and Hyde, in every school that I visited, I was asked to make my first priority a change in the funding formula. The borough was one of the most deprived in the country, yet it received thousands of pounds less than neighbouring authorities because the funding formula at the time reflected only ethnic diversity and geographic scarcity. The Labour Government have changed the formula so that it properly reflects deprivation.

At last, having suffered for between 10 and 15 years due to the gerrymandered funding formula, we are receiving an amount of money that properly reflects the deprivation in our schools. Despite the degree of deprivation in my area, we achieve excellent results. That is what I want to highlight. In contrast to the Opposition's attempt to spread cynicism, we should be optimistic about the results in our schools.

Why do the Opposition want to spread cynicism? They have to convince people that the state cannot achieve what we are setting out to achieve. They have to convince people that things are hopeless, that people might as well not invest in public services and that, if they can afford it, they should use their money to send their children to private school, or perhaps their children will get into a selective school.

We are saying that the state can work; we can invest in public services and it will make a real difference. The Tories try to distract people from that, but the evidence is clear—from looking at local papers or from people talking to their neighbours. That may be why the opinion poll results covered by The Times earlier this week were much less bad than people may have expected.

We must continue to listen to people and deal with their concerns, but perhaps rather than looking at the flim-flam inside the beltway around Westminster—the media hype—people are actually looking at their schools and hospitals and thinking that, yes, they are starting to get better.

In contrast to the Opposition's cynicism, I want to draw the House's attention to a few results in my area this summer.

Mr. Andrew Turner

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

James Purnell

No, I have limited time and the hon. Gentleman was not in the debate, so I shall try to bring my—

Mr. Turner

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

James Purnell

I have already—

Mr. Turner

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (James Purnell) is not giving way.

James Purnell

rose—

Mr. Turner

Will the hon. Gentleman give way? He accused—

Mr. Speaker

Order.

James Purnell

I have already referred to the incredible results for higher technology where there was an improvement from 50 to 63 per cent. That includes 71 per cent. gaining five A to C grades among the Bangladeshi community, which is nearly three times the achievement nationally. That is a great credit to Denise Spence and her colleagues, and I hope that the House will join me in congratulating that school on its results. All Saints Catholic college, which has just applied for specialist status, has improved its results from 43 to 45 per cent. of pupils achieving five A to C grades.

The results at Dukinfield Astley—another school that the Minister for School Standards has visited—have increased from 26 per cent. last year to 43 per cent.—an improvement of nearly 20 percentage points in a year. West Hill has just reached an agreement with a local company, Atofina, to invest thousands of pounds in the new school and its specialist status. West Hill's result—62 per cent.—is up on last year, and I hope that the House will also join me in congratulating that school on its results. Longdendale, which achieved specialist language status last year and an outstanding result this year—44 per cent.—in what is, in some cases, a very deprived catchment area. Mossley Hollins's result was 24 per cent. last year, but it has gone up to 41 per cent., so I congratulate Drew Duncan and his team on achieving those results.

New school buildings have been built at Alder secondary school, under Bob Wakefield, and there are new primary schools at Pinfold and Arundale on an estate where not one new school building was built during the entire time that the Conservatives were in power. I visited the old buildings several times. Frankly, it was a disgrace that people were being taught in prefabs in the school grounds and squeezed into corridors and other spaces because the classrooms were not in a proper state to be used for teaching. The library was even closed down.

When the Opposition talk about school funding, they should ask themselves whether they could pledge to match our education results. They say that they will match our spending on defence and international development, but they also say that they want to make savings. They cannot say that they will match our education results. The hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous) says that he stood on a platform of increasing education spending, but he has had to vote several times against spending increases. If the Opposition ever did get into government, they would have to make cuts.

Andrew Selous

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

James Purnell

No. I am afraid that I have limited time.

Copley school is proud of being a comprehensive—it is far from being a bog standard one—and it has managed to improve its results from 41 to 57 per cent. this year. That concludes the roundtrip of the secondary schools in my constituency.

Finally, I congratulate the staff of those schools, as well as their pupils and governors and not least the local education authority, which has played a crucial role in improving schools in my area. Overall, our results went from 42 to 47 per cent. last year. That fantastic achievement is a testament to the effect of spending more money in schools, while having proper challenge and support from the LEA and central Government. I congratulate them, and I hope that the House will do so as well.

7.18 pm
Mr. Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight)

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to speak in the debate. I do not intend to reiterate the arguments that have been developed so well by my hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Mr. Green) and my other right hon. and hon. Friends today. I want to consider some of the other issues that may have given rise to the problem—I will not call it a crisis—of teacher recruitment and retention, and I wish to try to distinguish between the two because all too frequently they are combined and they need to be taken apart, although the phrase, "teacher shortage" may represent convenient shorthand.

The first symptom of the problem is that many schools have an unbalanced age profile of teachers. In schools such as those in London, there are far too many young and inexperienced teachers, many of whom come from overseas. They need a great deal of support. In other schools, there is perhaps a disproportionate number of more senior teachers. I speak of the schools in my constituency. Such a disproportion is greatly to their advantage in some ways because those teachers bring experience and maturity, but they do not necessarily bring novelty and vigour of the kind that might be expected of younger teachers.

There are problems with turnover. Some schools suffer turbulence—too much turnover—while others suffer stagnation because too few teachers are sufficiently ambitious to want to move on and some might be perceived to be coasting toward retirement. Both situations are unhealthy for teachers, schools and pupils and, I dare say, the future of pupils. It is difficult to get the right balance between recruitment and retention and we cannot always blame the Government or the Opposition for failing to achieve it. The problem is not necessarily related to funding.

My colleagues have made the case on funding but I shall point out other symptoms: the shortage of subject specialism and the movement of teachers to the private sector, which was recognised by the Teacher Training Agency's survey. I shall examine several causes of those symptoms that have nothing to do with money. 1 congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for South-West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous) on pointing out one during the closing minutes of his speech. The great difficulty associated with teaching pupils with few or inadequately developed social skills should be recognised. We need to tackle the problem at the root. Although I recognise that home start and sure start are part of the Government's prescription for tackling the problem, they are not tackling it at the root by asking why such children were so badly parented. I fear that one reason is the breakdown of families. I know that it is unfashionable to talk about the damage caused by the breakdown of families but it is time that we recognised the dramatic problems that serial parenting causes to the self-image of pupils and youngsters.

The second great problem for teachers is lack of support from parents, which is associated with a sort of rights culture. The party of which I am proud to be a member has promoted the rights culture in education. It has promoted choice and what are considered to be market mechanisms but it has not necessarily always been successful at promoting a responsibilities culture to accompany the rights culture, although I accept that it is more difficult to do that. A rights culture without a responsibilities culture means that parents sometimes do not accept that their child can do wrong or that a teacher has not only the right but the duty to discipline a child or put him back on the right track if he goes wrong. If one fails to provide teachers with support and effective sanctions, they will fail to maintain discipline, which is one of the key factors that is causing teachers to leave the public sector and, in many cases, teaching altogether.

A third element of the problem is the inadequately supported integration of pupils who sometimes have profound special educational needs. The Government are capping the money that local education authorities may hold back. I associate myself with the remarks made by the hon. Member for Southport (Dr. Pugh) and hope that the Minister will be able to guarantee that that will not lead to artificial capping of the amount spent on special educational needs because support for pupils with SEN represents support for every child and teacher in the schools that such pupils attend. There is too much inappropriate treatment of such pupils, and there are sometimes inappropriate attempts to integrate them when they, their parents and their teachers do not think that that can work. So that is a third problem that has nothing to do with money.

The fourth problem that has nothing to do with money is bureaucracy, work load and initiative overload, as identified by my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess). The Government recognise those problems, but they have not been sufficiently effective at reducing teacher work load, although I know that the work load agreement is designed to have that effect and if it is right for teachers., heads and governors, it will be implemented.

The last problem is that of the allegations, sometimes unfounded, against people in the teaching profession. I refer to that principally because of a situation that arose in my constituency in the past few weeks, but the issue is of general concern. I know that teacher unions in particular are gravely concerned about the consequence for teachers of losing their professional, if not their literal, lives as a result of allegations that might not stand up in a court of law. I hope that the Government will examine that problem with the greatest possible care to discover whether there is a way to ensure that teachers get through that heart-rending time in their lives without necessarily losing their professional standing. It may be that after conviction it is right that they lose their professional standing, but currently, they lose it the moment that they are accused and suspended. We need to recognise that problem and tackle it.

7.26 pm
Mrs. Claire Curtis-Thomas (Crosby)

Like many hon. Members, I meet head teachers on a regular basis. Last year I met a number of heads in my constituency to talk about their ongoing needs. Like many other local authorities, my authority has many schools that face significant pupil shortages, a situation that will become more acute over the next four years before the trend is reversed. We all know that staffing numbers are primarily based on pupil numbers. Moreover, the shortage of pupils this year will only be acknowledged by the local authority the following year.

Despite a huge effort by some of my schools, they will have no choice but to make teachers redundant because there will be an insufficient number of pupils to support existing posts. No one likes to make anyone redundant under any circumstances. We should all like to keep teachers on indefinitely, hopeful that things turn around. Head teachers have rightly pleaded for funds in the hope that that transient set of affairs will pass quickly.

The situation is not new. It has been occurring on a regular basis for the past 30 years. However, the previous Government did not respond to the problem. There was nothing: no extra money and no promises. Head teachers had no choice but continually to increase the number of pupils in each class in an attempt to balance the books while squeezing every other budget they controlled. The only growing budget in schools before 1997 was under the control of the parent teacher association. Like millions of other parents who sent their children to school in the dark years, I sent a regular sum to the school to pay for fundamental things such as paper, pens and text books. Every year the request for extra money grew as budgets shrank. It was utterly depressing and totally indicative of what we could expect from a Tory Administration.

I was elected to serve the people of Crosby in 1997 when many children were being educated in buildings that should have been condemned. As an engineer, I think that I can make that evaluation accurately. There was a conspiracy of silence on the extent of the problem. There was an absolute acceptance by head teachers and teachers alike that there was no point complaining or asking for money to repair leaking roofs or defective buildings because it would not result in a response. Indeed, the head teachers in my constituency were right. When I asked how much funding was available for emergency repairs, the local authority told me that £40,000 was available for 23 schools, but the money had not been allocated because there had been no emergency to warrant the funds. I found that an appalling statistic.

When I visited one school to watch an assembly and wondered why the children were sitting in an extraordinary geometric configuration, I was told by the head teacher that they had to sit like that because bulbs had dropped from the ceiling the previous year, and the school had been told by the local authority that no funding was available to solve the problem, so teachers had better move the children out of the way just in case one dropped on their heads. I then went to another school where children were educated in portakabins, and even those were delineated because if the children had been sitting in certain parts of the portakabin they would have fallen through the floor. That was considered to be an acceptable place to educate our children.

The situation has changed radically under this Government. The £40,000 has been replaced by over £8 million. I have visited head teachers in my constituency who have been begging for a new school for 25 years, and who, when I told them that their request had been granted, burst into tears. Some of those teachers have spent their entire lives striving to improve the lot of their pupils, and it was a particularly futile exercise under the previous Conservative Administration.

The most damning indictment of that Administration was the type of facility that they afforded children with learning difficulties. I have a daughter with a learning difficulty; I know just how bad it has been. The schools allocated to the children in my constituency were disgusting. This year, 1 broke into tears when I visited two schools, one for children with severe learning difficulties and one for my child. Finally, we have schools that tell us as a society that we have a respect and regard for the most vulnerable among us. That cost money, and that money was made available by this Government. It is an asset, and that facility was totally ignored by the Conservative Administration.

A significant amount of money has been poured into every school in my constituency, not just for building, but for huge programmes such as sure start which have made an enormous difference by bringing children in deprived areas into the school system at age three and four. Extra teaching assistants and extra teachers in classes have made a difference.

I want the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) to be able to speak, so I shall conclude my remarks by quoting a fantastic teacher in my constituency, who had to wait the length of her career to get extra money that recognises her ability and her desire to stay on teaching children. She said, "It's been a bit of a bad year, but I'd have this year each and every year in preference to another year under the Tories when it was absolute mean misery."

7.32 pm
Mr. Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne)

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Crosby (Mrs. Curtis-Thomas) because she spoke with great passion, even if, at times, she was defending the indefensible.

The hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (James Purnell) accused Opposition Members, of all people, of spreading cynicism. I have to tell him that there are only two possible conclusions to be reached, and both have been canvassed in this excellent debate, about the situation in many parts of the country. Either the Ministers involved are innocent but incompetent clowns, or they are indeed cynical manipulators. All this talk about education, education, education, which is now heard only on the Opposition Benches, may have got the Government into power in the first place, but those chickens are coming home to roost in no uncertain fashion, particularly in my constituency. It is difficult not to see all that. If one gives Ministers the benefit of the doubt and assumes that they are not incompetent, it is easy to view the situation as part of a cynical attempt to divert resources away from the south-east, which we have seen happening in many areas.

I have categorically to assure the Minister, with I hope at least as much passion as the hon. Member for Crosby, that there are real problems in my constituency, as there are elsewhere. When they began to emerge, Ministers followed plan A, which was to try to blame the situation on the LEAs. East Sussex made a robust rebuttal, which was eventually accepted by Ministers and officials. It was then suggested, as a temporary get-out, that the capital budgets could be raided. I pointed out earlier in the debate that that was met with laughter and disbelief in some of our schools, because any major works are normally done in the school summer holidays, and the builders had already long been commissioned do the work, so that simply was not feasible.

All our primary and secondary school head teachers in Eastbourne got together and issued a joint press release in the summer which said: Headteachers in the Eastbourne area are having to make dramatic cuts within their budgets, arising from the underfunding of schools from central government. All schools in the area have been affected by the funding crisis, with many going into debt, and all having to reduce spending significantly. It went on to say: Pupil:teacher ratios will rise across the town. The head teachers estimated that £2 million has been taken out of school budgets across Eastbourne in one year. Mr. Ian Jungius, head teacher of the excellent Willingdon community school, just two minutes' walk from my home, said that his school was looking at an approximate shortfall in this year's budget of £130,000, which was based, he said, on just repeating what we did last year". He referred to issues such as the increase in national insurance, the 5 per cent. increase in employers' contribution to pensions and the impact of changes in the area cost adjustment. He said: I do believe East Sussex has passed on the money it should and is not holding back anything at the centre. That view is supported by all the other head teachers in my area. Mr. Jungius talked about the particular problems faced by schools such as his, where the formula is based on the pay of an average teacher on point 5 of the main pay scale. However, in his case, 87 per cent. of his teachers are above that nominal average. He has missed his vocation as a politician, because he put the problem very succinctly: Charles Clarke's announcement allowing us to use Formula Capital as we wish for one year only, is in itself an admission on his part that they have got the funding wrong. Of the Opposition, perhaps unfairly, he said: I am amazed that there has not been more of a furore on this. Well, the furore is happening now. Mr. Jungius went on to say that he was losing two members of his teaching staff and two support staff, and expected to lose two more teachers next year.

The head teacher of Eastbourne technology college—the sort of school, I should have thought, that the Government were trying to support—said: I have had to increase class sizes as I am not able to replace teachers who are leaving. The head teacher of Bishop Bell Church of England school, an excellent secondary school, said that they were £70,000 short compared with last year's budget. Ratton school, a specialist college in the performing arts, talked about cuts in building maintenance, staff training, and the money … for books and equipment. Cavendish school, another excellent secondary school, has been looking at how it can reduce the number of teaching staff by natural wastage, a reduction of investment in information and communications technology and the abandonment of plans to staff an inclusion unit—another pet project that the Government say they favour. The Downs school says that it has decided to cover one class with a temporary teacher for one term. However, next year, it may have to disband that class altogether. Motcombe school talked about reducing non-contact time for its teaching staff and its special educational needs co-ordinator and so on. Ocklynge school, the largest junior school in Europe, has had to make savings, partly by reducing teaching assistant hours. The head, Mr. Trott, said: On average each teaching assistant has seen a 13 per cent. reduction in their hours. A quote from a letter from West Rise junior school in a challenging part of my constituency says it all about what is happening in the real world rather than on Planet Clarke. The head teacher, Mr. Kent, said: We are also writing to the parents to ask if they can provide replacement pens and pencils as we cannot continue to replace stock. We have heard from hon. Members about a lot of schools across the country that require contributions from parents, who are often already hard-pressed. The truth is that out there in the schools there are major problems of underfunding and natural wastage, as it is called, of teachers—teachers are simply not being replaced. We have seen the overall figures, and have been given many examples of schools in Members' constituencies. Will Ministers stop staring the truth in the face and pretending that the reality is different? Will they accept the reality and apologise if they feel up to it. However, they should at least move on and try to tackle those problems in my constituency and elsewhere.

7.40 pm
Mr. Charles Hendry (Wealden)

This has been an interesting and excellent debate. There have been some powerful contributions, particularly from my hon. Friends who have recognised fully the extent of the problems in schools in their constituencies. My hon. Friend the Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) spoke with his customary passion and enthusiasm for Southend and the issues that are there. He gave real demonstrations of the effects of the budgetary cuts within his constituency. He highlighted subjects that are being cut and physically being removed from the curriculum. He spoke of schools having to borrow money from the local education authority and of excellent new facilities that are kept closed because there is not the money to clean and maintain them. The description of one of the heads, which we should have ringing in our ears, is that this is the worst situation that he has ever had to manage.

My hon. Friend the Member for South-West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous) reminded us that primarily the debate is about children's education and said that their interests should be the focus of our attention. He gave detailed figures to show the extent of the problems both locally and nationwide, and made a strong case for moving more funds through directly to schools. My hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner), as ever, made a powerful case and showed why he is such an excellent member of the Select Committee. He effectively highlighted the range of issues that are not related to funding but determine the quality of education in our schools.

My hon. Friend the Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson), my parliamentary neighbour, gave a realistic assessment of the real problems facing us in east Sussex, which I wholly endorse. Heads have been universal, in my experience, in sensing that the county council has done its very best in passing on funds to schools, and that it has been the Government who have been the villain of the piece.

It is disappointing that in responding to my hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Mr. Green), who opened the debate, the Minister for School Standards ignored virtually every one of the key points that my hon. Friend had highlighted. He did not refer to the increase in national insurance contributions or in pension contributions, which have caused so many of the problems. He did not highlight the fact that so many schools are having to put deficit budgets in place or are having to raise their capital budgets to keep going. He did not talk about the scrapping of the school achievements award. He did not refer to the appalling fact that one school in five is now asking parents to make contributions simply to meet their bills.

If the situation is as good as the Minister makes it out to be, why is it that people like the head of the Secondary Heads Association, Ann Welsh, are saying that this year's cash crisis will have repercussions for many years to come. Why is it that the leader of the heads in east Yorkshire, as brought out on so many occasions by my hon. Friend the Member for South-West Bedfordshire, is saying that these are the worst figures that he has had to deal with for 12 years?

The Minister questioned our position on the work load agreement. We have always supported that agreement in principle, but we have questioned whether it would work. The Government should be cutting the red tape, cutting the number of targets and cutting the plethora of new initiatives, which would do much more to reduce teachers' work loads than anything else that the Government could do.

The Minister has been going to great lengths to tell us why this is not the Government's fault. Of course, nothing is ever the fault of this Government. It is the same old strategy. First, deny that anything is wrong; then insist that the facts are not as they really are and that the statistics and surveys are flawed. If that does not work, question the principles of those who are criticising the Government. Above all, find someone else to blame, preferably somebody who does not have access to a media machine to help them put their case. Alastair Campbell may have moved on but his spirit lives there still.

The Minister is doing what Ministers have done through the ages when they have lost the argument: he has gone into denial. He is pretending that the reality is other than it is. He believes only the press stories that support his side of the argument. He believes that the teachers and governors who call out for help are only a small minority. But Ministers have lost the plot and, much more importantly, the trust of students, parents and teachers. When we consider the contributions made by Labour Back Benchers, it is easy to see why.

The hon. Member for West Bromwich, West (Mr. Bailey) made an astonishing speech. He spoke for 10 minutes, but spent five minutes on the last Tory Government, three minutes telling us that everything was improving and two minutes saying that the problems were all due to the old funding system. He did not utter a single sentence about the problems facing a single school in his constituency. There was not a word about the shocking growth of red tape, which takes up too much of teachers' time, nor a mention of falling teacher morale. I hope that he will send that speech to every head teacher in his constituency and ask them if it represents their views as well.

Mr. Bailey

I took the trouble to check the situation in my constituency. Teacher numbers are rising and morale, educational standards and funding are high. That is precisely why I did not see any cause to complain about the funding arrangement for local authorities such as Sandwell.

Mr. Hendry

I hope that the hon. Gentleman will also send that contribution to every head teacher in his constituency. I would like to see every letter that he gets in return accepting that the situation is as he describes.

The hon. Member for Chatham and Aylesford (Jonathan Shaw) spoke for 17 minutes. He spent three minutes saying how standards were rising and six minutes making important points about teachers—we all agree with his concerns about the age profile of teachers. Indeed, we agree with the point made by the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Rendel) about the problem of a lack of male teachers in primary schools. The hon. Member for Chatham and Aylesford spent five minutes speaking about the future of LEAs and three ritual minutes attacking the Tories. However, he spoke not one word about a single school facing problems in his constituency. I hope that he sends his speech to his head teachers.

Then we come to the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (James Purnell), who really is the hon. Member for Planet Zog. He spent most of his nine minutes attacking the Tories and the rest of that time saying that everything was going well. He told us that everybody outside Westminster was down at their local saying how good the schools and hospitals were in their constituencies. Where does he live?

James Purnell

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

Mr. Hendry

There is no time, and the hon. Gentleman wasted his.

James Purnell

rose—

Mr. Hendry

Oh, go on then.

James Purnell

Does the hon. Gentleman recognise that GCSE results have improved in this country?

Mr. Hendry

I celebrate the fact that GCSE results are improving. I want them to continue doing so; as parents,

we are delighted about that. [HON. MEMBERS: "The students are leaving the Gallery."] That is because they know that I have won the argument. Again, I hope that the hon. Member for Planet Zog will send his speech to all the head teachers, including those at Longdendale and the other schools to which he referred, and say "Can you reassure me that I am right that there is not a single problem in these schools?"

This issue is not merely about politics and semantics, but about teachers' livelihoods and children's one chance of success in education. Frankly, they do not care whose fault the funding crisis is; they simply want it sorted out—and quickly. This is 21st century Britain and we are six years into a Labour Government who promised to put education at the top of their priorities. However, that is not the way in which those in education see the situation. At the start of a new school year, they are feeling the strains more than ever. Their budgets are under pressure and they are being forced to put on hold projects that they have been working on for years, and maybe even cancel them, in order to use their reserves to pay the bills.

It does not have to be like that, however, as my hon. Friend the Member for Ashford said. What we need is a simple formula without the mirrors, clawbacks and tricks, so that head teachers know how much they will be getting, so that there is no confusion about whether money has been passed to the LEA and whether it has passed the money to the individual schools, and so that they can look ahead with certainty and confidence. The Government must act to ensure that this crisis is not repeated in future years.

I hope that those who vote with the Government tonight will not visit schools in their constituencies this weekend, on Friday—[Interruption.] They will obviously not visit at the weekend, but they might do so on a Friday. If they do so, I hope that they will have the courage to tell those schools what they have done today. They had the chance to say that schools are suffering, but they did not. They had the chance to say that they understand that teachers' morale is low, but they walked away. They had the chance to call for a better system of school funding in future, but they sat on their hands. Above all, they had the chance to stand up for the students, parents, teachers and governors in their constituencies, but looked the other way when they were most needed.

We have drawn attention to a crisis in schools the length and breadth of this country—a crisis that explains why morale is so low and why so many outstanding teachers are looking to get out of education altogether. The Conservative party has drawn attention to those problems, while the Government insist that they are not worthy of debate. I urge the House to support the motion.

7.50 pm
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Skills (Mr. Stephen Twigg)

I thank hon. Members on both sides of the House for their contributions to an interesting and wide-ranging debate. I shall respond briefly to the specific points that they made on behalf of their constituents or more generally.

In a reasoned speech from the Liberal Democrat Front Bench, the hon. Member for Southport (Dr. Pugh) raised several issues. I should like to respond to one in particular. He expressed his support for the principles of the work load agreement, but suggested that we might ring-fence the money for that agreement to ensure that it is spent. That is precisely the wrong way for us to go. We want schools to be able to exercise their own judgment to ensure that the money is spent in a way that is relevant to their own particular needs.

My hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, West (Mr. Bailey) put a powerful case, which he just had a chance to reiterate, for the excellent progress that has been made in his constituency.

The hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) criticised Liberal Democrats and Labour Members for talking about the previous Conservative Government and its record. That is a bit rich coming from someone who still reminds us about the winter of discontent. Nevertheless, he raised some important issues, particularly on the regulation of private tutors in relation to the sex offenders register. I promise to write to him about that.

In an important and interesting speech, my hon. Friend the Member for Chatham and Aylesford (Jonathan Shaw) reminded us that Ofsted says that we have the best teaching work force ever. He also talked about the importance of attracting more ethnic minorities into teaching and, beyond that, into leading positions within our schools. The debate suggests that that enjoys widespread support across the House.

The hon. Member for South-West Bedfordshire (Andrew Selous) made a thoughtful speech in which he focused on the retention of good quality teachers. That is clearly an important question that we need to address.

My hon. Friend the Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (James Purnell) made one of the best speeches of the debate in which he reminded us of the motivation of some Conservative Members in spreading cynicism about our public services. He praised the evidence of improvements that he has seen in his constituency; I join him in praising the excellent progress at Hyde technology college, particularly the results achieved by Bangladeshi pupils.

The hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner) made an interesting speech in which he focused on some of the issues beyond funding. Hon. Members of all parties have a duty to address the balance of rights and responsibilities of which he spoke. He said that we should talk not about a crisis, but about problems. I accept that, and it is reflected in the Government amendment. There are problems, but the situation is not a crisis. The hon. Gentleman's thoughtful contribution bore that out.

My hon. Friend the Member for Crosby (Mrs. Curtis-Thomas) reminded us of the legacy that we inherited from the Conservatives in 1997. The hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) explained some of the challenges in his constituency.

We recognise that there are difficulties and we accept our share of the responsibility for them. We want to work to ensure that we get it right in future, as my hon. Friend the Minister for School Standards said at the start of the debate.

David Taylor

My hon. Friend probably agrees with me that Conservative education policy is vacuous, innumerate, dishonest and self-serving. However, this year's settlement has caused genuine difficulties in Leicestershire, which has the worst-funded local education authority. Will he agree to receive a delegation from Leicestershire when the pattern for next year's expenditure is known so that we can reassure heads in North-West Leicestershire and elsewhere that their difficulties will be resolved by the change in direction?

Madam Deputy Speaker (Sylvia Heal)

Order. That was rather long for an intervention.

Mr. Twigg

I am happy to give my hon. Friend the commitment that he seeks to receive such a delegation.

The hon. Member for Southport set out some of the additional costs that have formed part of the picture of this year's funding, including £568 million extra to secure the teachers' pension scheme. Do the Opposition believe that it is wrong to provide that extra money to secure the teachers' pension scheme for the future? What about the extra money for national insurance costs that schools throughout the country face and that will support improvements in the national health service and better pay for teachers? Do they oppose better pay for teachers, for which teachers have argued for years? For 18 years, the Conservative party ignored teachers when they said that they wanted better pay. The Government have listened, acted and got the extra pay for teachers. That is part of the picture of school budgets.

Mr. Andrew Tyrie (Chichester)

Will the Under-Secretary give way?

Mr. Twigg

No, I have only three minutes.

My hon. Friend the Member for West Bromwich, West talked about the official Opposition's collective amnesia. Let us compare the past six years with the previous 18 years. In 1979 to 1997, the number of teachers fell by 50,000. Between 1997 and today, there has been an increase of 25,000. That shows their record and our record. Spending on education as a proportion of gross domestic product was 5.3 per cent. in 1979–80. Yet in 1997–98, it was 4.5 per cent. If the Conservatives had maintained spending as a proportion of GDP at the level that they inherited from us in 1979, almost £50 billion extra would have been spent on education when they were in government. It has taken six years of a Labour Government to restore education spending to 5.3 per cent. We should be proud of that record.

Several hon. Members mentioned the importance of investing in school buildings. For decades, we failed to do that and we have seen crumbling buildings in communities throughout the country. As my hon. Friend the Minister said, we inherited a position whereby capital spending on schools in 1996–97 was less than £700 million for the entire country. This year, the figure is £3.8 billion—a fivefold increase in capital in vestment in our schools. That makes a genuine difference to the life chances of children in communities throughout the country.

As my hon. Friend the Minister said earlier, last year's Conservative policy guide stated: Conservatives do not support the tax and spending increases this Government have announced. In December, the Leader of the Opposition told The Daily Telegraph: We will not match Government spending plans. Let us judge the Conservative party on its record—its voting record since 1997 and, more important, its record in government before 1997.

We acknowledge this year's difficulties. We are not saying that everything in the garden is rosy. We are working with local government, with schools and with head teachers to ensure that we get this right for this year, next year and the long-term future. That is because our commitment is to education. On this side of the House, we put investment in schools and hospitals first; that is our priority. It is not the priority of the Conservative party. That is why I commend the Government's amendment to the House.

Question put, That the original words stand part of the Question:—

The House divided: Ayes 171, Noes 277.

Division No. 300] [7:59 pm
AYES
Amess, David Doughty, Sue
Arbuthnot, rh James Duncan, Alan (Rutland)
Atkinson, Peter (Hexham) Duncan, Peter (Galloway)
Bacon, Richard Duncan Smith, rh lain
Baron, John (Billericay) Fabricant, Michael
Beggs, Roy (E Antrim) Fallon, Michael
Beith, rh A. J. Flight, Howard
Bellingham, Henry Flook, Adrian
Beresford, Sir Paul Forth, rh Eric
Boswell, Tim Foster, Don (Bath)
Bottomley, Peter (Worthing W) Francois, Mark
Bottomley, rh Virginia (SW Garnier, Edward
Surrey) George, Andrew (St. Ives)
Brazier, Julian Gidley, Sandra
Brooke, Mrs Annette L. Gillan, Mrs Cheryl
Browning, Mrs Angela Goodman, Paul
Burnett, John Grayling, Chris
Burns, Simon Green, Damian (Ashford)
Burnside, David Green, Matthew (Ludlow)
Burstow, Paul Greenway, John
Burt, Alistair Grieve, Dominic
Butterfill, John Hague, rh William
Cable, Dr. Vincent Hawkins, Nick
Cameron, David Hayes, John (S Holland)
Campbell, Gregory (E Lond'y) Heald, Oliver
Campbell, rh Menzies (NE Fife) Heath, David
Cash, William Heathcoat-Amory, rh David
Chapman, Sir Sydney (Chipping Hendry, Charles
Barnet) Hermon, Lady
Chope, Christopher Hoban, Mark (Fareham)
Clappison, James Horam, John (Orpington)
Clarke, rh Kenneth (Rushcliffe) Howard, rh Michael
Clifton-Brown, Geoffrey Howarth, Gerald (Aldershot)
Collins, Tim Jack, rh Michael
Conway, Derek Jenkin, Bernard
Cotter, Brian Johnson, Boris (Henley)
Curry, rh David Keetch, Paul
Davey, Edward (Kingston) Kennedy, rh Charles (Ross Skye &
Davis, rh David (Haltemprice & Inverness)
Howden) Key, Robert (Salisbury)
Djanogly, Jonathan Kirkbride, Miss Julie
Dodds, Nigel Kirkwood, Sir Archy
Donaldson, Jeffrey M. Knight, rh Greg (E Yorkshire)
Laing, Mrs Eleanor Russell, Bob (Colchester)
Lait, Mrs Jacqui Sanders, Adrian
Lansley, Andrew Selous, Andrew
Laws, David (Yeovil) Shephard, rh Mrs Gillian
Letwin, rh Oliver Shepherd, Richard
Lewis, Dr. Julian (New Forest E) Simmonds, Mark
Liddell-Grainger, Ian Simpson, Keith (M-Norfolk)
Lidington, David Smith, Sir Robert (WAb'd'ns &
Lilley, rh Peter Kincardine)
Loughton, Tim Soames, Nicholas
Luff, Peter (M-Worcs) Spelman, Mrs Caroline
McIntosh, Miss Anne Spicer, Sir Michael
Mackay, rh Andrew Spring, Richard
Maclean, rh David Stanley, rh Sir John
McLoughlin, Patrick Steen, Anthony
Malins, Humfrey Streeter, Gary
Maples, John Stunell, Andrew
Marsden, Paul (Shrewsbury & Swire, Hugo (E Devon)
Atcham) Syms, Robert
Mawhinney, rh Sir Brian Tapsell, Sir Peter
May, Mrs Theresa Taylor, Ian (Esher)
Mitchell, Andrew (Sutton Taylor, John (Solihull)
Coldfield) Taylor, Matthew (Truro)
Moore, Michael Taylor, Sir Teddy
Moss, Malcolm Thurso, John
Tonge, Dr. Jenny
Murrison, Dr. Andrew Trend, Michael
Norman, Archie Turner, Andrew (Isle of Wight)
Oaten, Mark (Winchester) Tyler Paul (N Cornwall)
O'Brien, Stephen (Eddisbury) Tyrie Andrew
Öpik, Lembit Walter, Robert
Osborne, George (Tatton) Waterson, Nigel
Ottaway, Richard Webb, Steve (Northavon)
Paice, James Whittingdale, John
Paisley, Rev. Ian Widdecombe, rh Miss Ann
Paterson, Owen Wiggin, Bill
Pickles, Eric Wilkinson, John
Prisk, Mark (Hertford) Williams, Hywel (Caernarfon)
Pugh, Dr. John Williams, Roger (Brecon)
Randall, John Willis, Phil
Redwood, rh John Winterton, Ann (Congleton)
Reid, Alan (Argyll & Bute) Winterton, Sir Nicholas
Rendel, David (Macclesfield)
Robathan, Andrew Young, rh Sir George
Robertson, Laurence (Tewk'b'ry) Younger-Ross, Richard
Robinson, Mrs Iris (Strangford)
Robinson, Peter (Belfast E) Tellers for the Ayes:
Roe, Mrs Marion Mr. David Wilshire and
Ruffley, David Mr. Mark Field
NOES
Adams, Irene (Paisley N) Buck, Ms Karen
Ainger, Nick Burden, Richard
Ainsworth, Bob (Cov'try NE) Burgon, Colin
Allen, Graham Burnham, Andy
Anderson, rh Donald (Swansea E) Byers, rh Stephen
Atherton, Ms Candy Cairns, David
Atkins, Charlotte Campbell, Alan (Tynemouth)
Austin, John Campbell, Mrs Anne (C'bridge)
Bailey, Adrian Campbell, Ronnie (Blyth V)
Baird, Vera Caton, Martin
Barron, rh Kevin Cawsey, Ian (Brigg)
Battle, John Challen, Colin
Bayley, Hugh Clapham, Michael
Begg, Miss Anne Clark, Mrs Helen (Peterborough)
Benn, Hilary Clark, Dr. Lynda (Edinburgh
Bennett, Andrew Pentlands)
Berry, Roger Clark, Paul (Gillingham)
Betts, Clive Clarke, Tony (Northampton S)
Blackman, Liz Clelland, David
Borrow, David Clwyd, Ann (Cynon V)
Bradley, rh Keith (Withington) Coffey, Ms Ann
Bradley, Peter (The Wrekin) Cohen, Harry
Brennan, Kevin Connarty, Michael
Brown, Russell (Dumfries) Cook, rh Robin (Livingston)
Bryant, Chris Cooper, Yvette
Corbyn, Jeremy, Johnson, Miss Melanie (Welwyn
Corston, Jean Hatfield)
Cox, Tom (Tooting) Jones, Helen (Warrington N)
Crausby, David Jones, Jon Owen (Cardiff C)
Cruddas, Jon Jones, Kevan (N Durham)
Cryer, Ann (Keighley) Jones, Martyn (Clwyd S)
Cryer, John (Hornchurch) Joyce, Eric (Falkirk W)
Cummings, John Keeble, Ms Sally
Cunningham, Jim (Coventry S) Kennedy, Jane (Wavertree)
Cunningham, Tony (Workington) Khabra, Piara S.
Curtis-Thomas, Mrs Claire King, Ms Oona (Bethnal Green &
Davey, Valerie (Bristol W) Bow)
Davidson, Ian Knight, Jim (S Dorset)
Davies, rh Denzil (Llanelli) Kumar, Dr. Ashok
Davies, Geraint (Croydon C) Ladyman, Dr. Stephen
Davis, rh Terry (B'ham Hodge H) Lammy, David
Dawson, Hilton Lazarowicz, Mark
Dean, Mrs Janet Lepper, David
Dobbin, Jim (Heywood) Leslie, Christopher
Dobson, rh Frank Levitt, Tom (High Peak)
Donohoe, Brian H. Lewis, Ivan (Bury S)
Drew, David (Stroud) Lewis, Terry (Worsley)
Dunwoody, Mrs Gwyneth Liddell, rh Mrs Helen
Eagle, Maria (L'pool Garston) Linton, Martin
Edwards, Huw Llwyd, Elfyn
Efford, Clive Lucas, Ian (Wrexham)
Ellman, Mrs Louise Luke, Iain (Dundee E)
Ennis, Jeff (Barnsley E) Lyons, John (Strathkelvin)
Etherington, Bill McAvoy, Thomas
Field, rh Frank (Birkenhead) McCabe, Stephen
Fitzsimons, Mrs Lorna McCafferty, Chris
Flynn, Paul (Newport W) McDonagh, Siobhain
Follett, Barbara MacDonald, Calum
Foster, Michael Jabez (Hastings MacDougall, John
& Rye) McGuire, Mrs Anne
Foulkes, rh George McIsaac, Shona
Francis, Dr. Hywel McKenna, Rosemary
Gapes, Mike (IIford S) Mackinlay, Andrew
Gerrard, Neil McNulty, Tony
Gibson, Dr. Ian McWalter, Tony
Gilroy, Linda McWilliam, John
Godsiff, Roger Mahmood, Khalid
Griffiths, Win (Bridgend) Mahon, Mrs Alice
Grogan, John Mandelson, rh Peter
Hall, Mike (Weaver Vale) Marris, Rob (Wolverh'ton SW)
Hall, Patrick (Bedford) Marsden, Gordon (Blackpool S)
Hanson, David Marshall, David (Glasgow
Harman, rh Ms Harriet Shettleston)
Havard, Dai (Merthyr Tydfil & Marshall, Jim (Leicester S)
Rhymney) Marshall-Andrews, Robert
Healey, John Martlew, Eric
Henderson, Ivan (Harwich) Meacher, rh Michael
Hendrick, Mark Meale, Alan (Mansfield)
Hepburn, Stephen Merron, Gillian
Heppell, John Miliband, David
Hesford, Stephen Miller, Andrew
Heyes, David Mitchell, Austin (Gt Grimsby)
Hill, Keith (Streatham) Moffatt, Laura
Hinchliffe, David Mole, Chris
Hodge, Margaret Moran, Margaret
Hoey, Kate (Vauxhall) Morgan, Julie
Hood, Jimmy (Clydesdale) Morley, Elliot
Hope, Phil (Corby) Mountford, Kali
Hopkins, Kelvin Mudie, George
Howarth, rh Alan (Newport E) Mullin, Chris
Howarth, George (Knowsley N & Murphy, Denis (Wansbeck)
Sefton E) Murphy, Jim (Eastwood)
Howells, Dr. Kim Murphy, rh Paul (Torfaen)
Hughes, Kevin (Doncaster N) Naysmith, Dr. Doug
Humble, Mrs Joan Norris, Dan (Wansdyke)
Hurst, Alan (Braintree) O'Brien, Bill (Normanton)
Iddon, Dr. Brian Olner, Bill
Illsley, Eric Organ, Diana
Irranca-Davies, Huw Owen, Albert
Jamieson, David Pearson, Ian
Jenkins, Brian Perham, Linda
Picking, Anne Steinberg, Gerry
Pickthall, Colin Stewart, David (Inverness E &
Pike, Peter (Burnley) Lochaber)
Plaskitt, James Stinchcombe, Paul
Pollard, Kerry Stoate, Dr. Howard
Pond, Chris (Gravesham) Tami, Mark (Alyn)
Pound, Stephen Taylor, rh Ann (Dewsbury)
Prentice, Ms Bridget (Lewisham Taylor, Dari (Stockton S)
E) Taylor, David (NW Leics)
Prentice, Gordon (Pendle) Taylor, Dr. Richard (Wyre F)
Price, Adam (E Carmarthen & Thomas, Gareth (Clwyd W)
Dinefwr) Thomas, Gareth (Harrow W)
Prosser, Gwyn Thomas, Simon (Ceredigion)
Purchase, Ken Tipping, Paddy
Purnell, James Todd, Mark (S Derbyshire)
Quin, rh Joyce Trickett, Jon
Quinn, Lawrie Truswell, Paul
Rammell, Bill Turner, Neil (Wigan)
Rapson, Syd (Portsmouth N) Twigg, Derek (Halton)
Raynsford, rh Nick Twigg, Stephen (Enfield)
Reed, Andy (Loughborough) Tynan, Bill (Hamilton S)
Reid, rh Dr. John (Hamilton N & Vis, Dr. Rudi
Bellshill) Walley, Ms Joan
Robinson, Geoffrey (Coventry Ward, Claire
NW) Wareing, Robert N.
Rooney, Terry Watts, David
Ross, Ernie (Dundee W) White, Brian
Roy, Frank (Motherwell) Whitehead, Dr. Alan
Ruane, Chris Wicks, Malcolm
Ruddock, Joan Williams, rh Alan (Swansea W)
Salter, Martin Williams, Betty (Conwy)
Sarwar, Mohammad Winnick, David
Savidge, Malcolm Wood, Mike (Batley)
Sawford, Phil Woodward, Shaun
Sedgemore, Brian Woolas, Phil
Shaw, Jonathan Worthington, Tony
Sheerman, Barry Wray, James (Glasgow
Sheridan, Jim Baillieston)
Simpson, Alan (Nottingham S) Wright, Anthony D. (Gt
Skinner, Dennis Yarmouth)
Smith, Angela (Basildon) Wright, David (Telford)
Smith, rh Chris (Islington S & Wright, Tony (Cannock)
Finsbury) Wyatt, Derek
Smith, John (Glamorgan)
Smith, Llew (Blaenau Gwent) Tellers for the Noes:
Squire, Rachel Vernon Coaker and
Starkey, Dr. Phyllis Mr. Fraser Kemp

Question accordingly negatived.

Question, That the proposed words be there added, put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 31 (Questions on amendments):—

The House divided: Ayes 269, Noes 169.

Division No. 301] [8:13 pm
AYES
Adams, Irene (Paisley N) Blackman, Liz
Ainger, Nick Borrow, David
Ainsworth, Bob (Cov'try NE) Bradley, rh Keith (Withington)
Allen, Graham Bradley, Peter (The Wrekin)
Anderson, rh Donald (Swansea E) Brennan, Kevin
Atherton, Ms Candy Brown, Russell (Dumfries)
Atkins, Charlotte Bryant, Chris
Austin, John Buck, Ms Karen
Bailey, Adrian Burden, Richard
Baird, Vera Burgon, Colin
Barron, rh Kevin Burnham, Andy
Battle, John Byers, rh Stephen
Bayley, Hugh Cairns, David
Begg, Miss Anne Campbell, Alan (Tynemouth)
Benn, Hilary Campbell, Mrs Anne (C'bridge)
Bennett, Andrew Campbell, Ronnie (Blyth V)
Berry, Roger Caton, Martin
Betts, Clive Cawsey, Ian (Brigg)
Challen, Colin Howarth, rh Alan (Newport E)
Clapham, Michael Howarth, George (Knowsley N &
Clark, Mrs Helen (Peterborough) Sefton E)
Clark, Dr. Lynda (Edinburgh Howells, Dr. Kim
Pentlands) Hughes, Kevin (Doncaster N)
Clark, Paul (Gillingham) Humble, Mrs Joan
Clarke, Tony (Northampton S) Hurst, Alan (Braintree)
Clelland, David Iddon, Dr. Brian
Clwyd, Ann (Cynon V) Illsley, Eric
Coffey, Ms Ann Irranca-Davies, Huw
Cohen, Harry Jamieson, David
Connarty, Michael Jenkins, Brian
Cook, rh Robin (Livingston) Johnson, Miss Melanie (Welwyn
Cooper, Yvette Hatfield)
Corbyn, Jeremy Jones, Helen (Warrington N)
Corston, Jean Jones, Jon Owen (Cardiff C)
Cox, Tom (Tooting) Jones, Kevan (N Durham)
Crausby, David Jones, Martyn (Clwyd S)
Cruddas, Jon Joyce, Eric (Falkirk W)
Cryer, Ann (Keighley) Keeble, Ms Sally
Cryer, John (Hornchurch) Kennedy, Jane (Wavertree)
Cummings, John Khabra, Piara S.
Cunningham, Jim (Coventry S) King, Ms Oona (Bethnal Green &
Cunningham, Tony (Workington) Bow)
Curtis-Thomas, Mrs Claire Knight, Jim (S Dorset)
Davey, Valerie (Bristol W) Kumar, Dr. Ashok
Davidson, Ian Ladyman, Dr. Stephen
Davies, rh Denzil (Llanelli) Lammy, David
Davies, Geraint (Croydon C) Lazarowicz, Mark
Davis, rh Terry (B'ham Hodge H) Lepper, David
Dawson, Hilton Leslie, Christopher
Dean, Mrs Janet Levitt, Tom (High Peak)
Dobbin, Jim (Heywood) Lewis, Ivan (Bury S)
Dobson, rh Frank Lewis, Terry (Worsley)
Donohoe, Brian H. Liddell, rh Mrs Helen
Drew, David (Stroud) Linton, Martin
Dunwoody, Mrs Gwyneth Lucas, Ian (Wrexham)
Eagle, Maria (L'pool Garston) Luke, Iain (Dundee E)
Edwards, Huw Lyons, John (Strathkelvin)
Efford, Clive McAvoy, Thomas
Ellman, Mrs Louise McCabe, Stephen
Ennis, Jeff (Barnsley E) McCafferty, Chris
Etherington, Bill McDonagh, Siobhain
Field, rh Frank (Birkenhead) MacDonald, Calum
Fitzsimons, Mrs Lorna MacDougall, John
Flynn, Paul (Newport W) McGuire, Mrs Anne
Follett, Barbara McIsaac, Shona
Foster, Michael Jabez (Hastings McKenna, Rosemary
& Rye) Mackinlay, Andrew
Foulkes, rh George McNulty, Tony
Francis, Dr. Hywel McWalter, Tony
Gapes, Mike (llford S) McWilliam, John
Gerrard, Neil Mahmood, Khalid
Gilroy, Linda Mahon, Mrs Alice
Godsiff, Roger Mandelson, rh Peter
Griffiths, Win (Bridgend) Marris, Rob (Wolverh'ton SW)
Grogan, John Marsden, Gordon (Blackpool S)
Hall, Mike (Weaver Vale) Marshall, David (Glasgow
Hanson, David Shettleston)
Harman, rh Ms Harriet Marshall, Jim (Leicester S)
Havard, Dai (Merthyr Tydfil & Marshall-Andrews, Robert
Rhymney) Martlew, Eric
Healey, John Meacher, rh Michael
Henderson, Ivan (Harwich) Meale, Alan (Mansfield)
Hendrick, Mark Merron, Gillian
Hepburn, Stephen Miliband, David
Heppell, John Miller, Andrew
Hesford, Stephen Mitchell, Austin (Gt Grimsby)
Heyes, David Moffatt, Laura
Hill, Keith (Streatham) Mole, Chris
Hinchliffe, David Moran, Margaret
Hodge, Margaret Morgan, Julie
Hoey, Kate (Vauxhall) Morley, Elliot
Hood, Jimmy (Clydesdale) Mountford, Kali
Hope, Phil (Corby) Mullin, Chris
Hopkins, Kelvin Murphy, Denis (Wansbeck)
Murphy, Jim (Eastwood) Smith, rh Chris (Islington S &
Murphy, rh Paul (Torfaen) Finsbury)
Naysmith, Dr. Doug Smith, John (Glamorgan)
Norris, Dan (Wansdyke) Smith, Llew (Blaenau Gwent)
O'Brien, Bill (Normanton) Squire, Rachel
Olner, Bill Starkey, Dr. Phyllis
Organ, Diana Steinberg, Gerry
Owen, Albert Stewart, David (Inverness E & Lochaber)
Pearson, Ian Stinchcombe, Paul
Perham, Linda Tami, Mark (Alyn)
Picking, Anne Taylor, rh Ann (Dewsbury)
Pickthall, Colin Taylor, Dari (Stockton S)
Pike, Peter (Burnley) Taylor, David (NW Leics)
Plaskitt, James Taylor, Dr. Richard (Wyre F)
Pollard, Kerry Thomas, Gareth (Clwyd W)
Pond, Chris (Gravesham) Thomas, Gareth (Harrow W)
Pound, Stephen Tipping, Paddy
Prentice, Ms Bridget (Lewisham Todd, Mark (S Derbyshire)
E) Trickett, Jon
Prentice, Gordon (Pendle) Truswell, Paul
Prosser, Gwyn Turner, Neil (Wigan)
Purchase, Ken Twigg, Derek (Halton)
Purnell, James Twigg, Stephen (Enfield)
Quin, rh Joyce Tynan, Bill (Hamilton S)
Quinn, Lawrie Vaz, Keith (Leicester E)
Rammell, Bill Vis Dr Rudi
Ward, Claire
Rapson, Syd (Portsmouth N) Wareing, Robert N.
Raynsford, rh Nick Watts, David
Reed, Andy (Loughborough) White, Brian
Reid, rh Dr. John (Hamilton N & Whitehead, Dr. Alan
Bellshill) Wicks, Malcolm
Robinson, Geoffrey (Coventry Williams, rh Alan (Swansea W)
NW) Williams, Betty (Conwy)
Rooney, Terry Winnick, David
Ross, Ernie (Dundee W) Wood, Mike (Batley)
Roy, Frank (Motherwell) Woodward, Shaun
Ruane, Chris Woolas, Phil
Ruddock, Joan Worthington, Tony
Salter, Martin Wray, James (Glasgow
Sarwar, Mohammad Baillieston)
Savidge, Malcolm Wright, Anthony D. (Gt Yarmouth)
Sawford, Phil Wright, David (Telford)
Sedgemore, Brian Wright, Tony (Cannock)
Shaw, Jonathan Wyatt, Derek
Sheridan, Jim
Simpson, Alan (Nottingham S) Tellers for the Ayes:
Skinner, Dennis Mr. Fraser Kemp and
Smith, Angela (Basildon) Vernon Coaker
NOES
Amess, David Campbell, Gregory (E Lond'y)
Arbuthnot, rh James Campbell, rh Menzies (NE Fife)
Atkinson, Peter (Hexham) Cash, William
Bacon, Richard Chapman, Sir Sydney (Chipping
Baron, John (Billericay) Barnet)
Beggs, Roy (E Antrim) Chope, Christopher
Beith, rh A. J. Clappison, James
Bellingham, Henry Clarke, rh Kenneth (Rushcliffe)
Beresford, Sir Paul Clifton-Brown, Geoffrey
Boswell, Tim Collins, Tim
Bottomley, Peter (Worthing W) Conway, Derek
Bottomley, rh Virginia (SW Cotter, Brian
Surrey) Davey, Edward (Kingston)
Brazier, Julian Davis, rh David (Haltemprice &
Brooke, Mrs Annette L. Howden)
Browning, Mrs Angela Djanogly, Jonathan
Burnett, John Dodds, Nigel
Burns, Simon Donaldson, Jeffrey M.
Burnside, David Doughty, Sue
Burstow, Paul Duncan, Alan (Rutland)
Burt, Alistair Duncan, Peter (Galloway)
Butterfill, John Duncan Smith, rh lain
Cable, Dr. Vincent Fabricant, Michael
Cameron, David Fallon, Michael
Flight, Howard Ottaway, Richard
Flook, Adrian Paice, James
Forth, rh Eric Paisley, Rev. Ian
Foster, Don (Bath) Paterson, Owen
Francois, Mark Pickles, Eric
Garnier, Edward Price, Adam (E Carmarthen &
George, Andrew (St. Ives) Dinefwr)
Gidley, Sandra Prisk, Mark (Hertford)
Gillan, Mrs Cheryl Pugh, Dr. John
Goodman, Paul Randall, John
Grayling, Chris Redwood, rh John
Green, Damian (Ashford) Reid, Alan (Argyll & Bute)
Green, Matthew (Ludlow) Rendel, David
Greenway, John Robathan, Andrew
Grieve, Dominic Robertson, Laurence (Tewk'b'ry)
Hague, rh William Robinson, Mrs Iris (Strangford)
Hawkins, Nick Robinson, Peter (Belfast E)
Hayes, John (S Holland) Roe, Mrs Marion
Heald, Oliver Ruffley, David
Heath, David Russell, Bob (Colchester)
Heathcoat-Amory, rh David Sanders, Adrian
Hendry, Charles Selous, Andrew
Hermon, Lady Shepherd, Richard
Hoban, Mark (Fareham) Simmonds, Mark
Horam, John (Orpington) Simpson, Keith (M-Norfolk)
Howard, rh Michael Smith, Sir Robert (W Ab'd'ns &
Howarth, Gerald (Aldershot) Kincardine)
Jack, rh Michael Soames, Nicholas
Jenkin, Bernard Spelman, Mrs Caroline
Johnson, Boris (Henley) Spicer, Sir Michael
Keetch, Paul Spring, Richard
Kennedy, rh Charles (Ross Skye & Stanley, rh Sir John
Inverness) Steen, Anthony
Key, Robert (Salisbury) Streeter, Gary
Kirkbride, Miss Julie Stunell, Andrew
Kirkwood, Sir Archy Swire, Hugo (E Devon)
Knight, rh Greg (E Yorkshire) Taylor, Ian (Esher)
Laing, Mrs Eleanor Taylor, John (Solihull)
Lait, Mrs Jacqui Taylor, Matthew (Truro)
Lansley, Andrew Taylor, Sir Teddy
Laws, David (Yeovil) Thomas, Simon (Ceredigion)
Letwin, rh Oliver Thurso, John
Lewis, Dr. Julian (New Forest E) Tonge, Dr. Jenny
Liddell-Grainger, Ian Trend, Michael
Lidington, David Turner, Andrew (Isle of Wight)
Lilley, rh Peter Tyler, Paul (N Cornwall)
Llwyd, Elfyn Tyrie, Andrew
Loughton, Tim Walter, Robert
Luff, Peter (M- Worcs) Waterson, Nigel
McIntosh, Miss Anne Webb, Steve (Northavon)
Mackay, rh Andrew Whittingdale, John
Maclean, rh David Widdecombe, rh Miss Ann
McLoughlin, Patrick Wiggin, Bill
Malins, Humfrey Wilkinson, John
Maples, John Williams, Hywel (Caernarfon)
Marsden, Paul (Shrewsbury & Williams, Roger (Brecon)
Atcham) Willis, Phil
Mawhinney, rh Sir Brian Wilshire, David
May, Mrs Theresa Winterton, Ann (Congleton)
Mitchell, Andrew (Sutton Winterton, Sir Nicholas
Coldfield) (Macclesfield)
Moore, Michael Young, rh Sir George
Moss, Malcolm Younger-Ross, Richard
Murrison, Dr. Andrew
O'Brien, Stephen (Eddisbury) Tellers for the Noes:
Öpik, Lembit Mr. Robert Syms and
Osborne, George (Tatton) Mr. Mark Field

Question accordingly agreed to.

MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER forthwith declared the main Question, as amended, to be agreed to.

Resolved, That this House applauds the significant increase in funding made available by the Government to schools since 1997 and the increase in standards schools have achieved; recognises that schools have had extra costs as well as extra investment this year; welcomes the statement to the House on 17th July by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills announcing measures to bring stability to school funding in 2004–05 and 2005–06, including a guarantee of a minimum per pupil increase in funding for schools, and maintaining and inflation-proofing the income that schools will receive from the Standards Fund; supports the consultation his Department is undertaking with representatives of head teachers and local education authorities; welcomes the fact that there are around 25,000 more teachers in schools and over 80,000 more support staff than there were in 1997 and more teachers with Qualified Teacher Status in schools than at any time since 1984; acknowledges three years of rising recruitment to teacher training and the 3,000 more graduates who have accepted training places than this time last year; and welcomes a 25 per cent. fall in the number of unfilled teacher vacancies between 2002 and 2003.