HC Deb 19 December 1989 vol 164 cc203-4W
19. Mr. Haynes

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has given to local authorities regarding political appointments to governing bodies.

93. Mr. Jim Marshall

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has given to local authorities regarding political appointments to governing bodies.

Financial year
1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 Average
Lancashire
Capital £ million 16.0 11.4 14.4 16.2 13.4 14.3
Percentage increase on previous year 22.3 -8.5 25.7 12.4 -17.4 2.9
Recurrent £ million 275.9 292.3 305.5 322.9 348.7 309.1
Percentage increase in previous year 6.0 4.5 5.7 8.0 8.0 6.4
England
Capital £ million 469.2 501.3 530.2 574.9 592.8 533.7
Percentage increase on previous year 2.9 6.8 5.8 8.4 3.1 5.4
Recurrent £million 10,111 10,517 11,003 12,002 13,021 11,331
Percentage increase in previous year 5.3 4.0 4.6 9.1 8.5 6.3

103. Mr. Bernie Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has given to local authorities regarding political appointments to governing bodies.

Mrs. Rumbold

Last year the then Secretary of State made clear his view that local authorities which nominate only majority party supporters as school governors are not behaving as their electorates would expect. My right hon. Friend fully endorses that view. Choosing the best people to be school governors need not be a party political matter. However, where a number of governors are to be appointed by a local authority which does wish to act on the basis of political affiliation, they should have regard to the balance of the parties within the authority itself.

71. Mr. Beith

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has issued any guidance to local education authorities on the appointment and training of school governors.

Mrs. Rumbold

On the issue of appointments, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Ashfield (Mr. Haynes) earlier today.

We have issued information and guidance on the training of school governors on a number of occasions, particularly in relation to the use of education support grant funds to support LEA training schemes. The Department and HMI have also recently held two conferences bringing together governors and their trainers to discuss this important task.