§ Mr. BowisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the future organisation of the National Curriculum Council.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeAs the National Curriculum Council moves into the next phase of its work, I see advantage in separating the roles of chairman and chief executive. Mr. Duncan Graham has himself seen this stage of the process as a time for change and he will retire from the NCC with effect from 19 August. From that date I am appointing Mr. David Pascall as part-time chairman of the National Curriculum Council. The appointment will be for one year in the first instance, renewable thereafter. Mr. Pascal] is manager of BP Exploration Control and Business Simplification Programmes. He has been a member of the council since August 1990. It will be for the council to appoint a full-time chief executive, with my approval, under the provisions of schedule 2 to the Education Reform Act 1988.