§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the average amount of time spent in training the external assessors of performance-related pay. [131712]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisThe External Assessors who will visit schools to verify Headteachers' decisions about which teachers meet threshold standards must attend a three day training event, and successfully pass a formal independent accreditation process.
§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he received legal advice as to whether the standards for the performance-related pay threshold should be referred to the School Teachers Review Body; and when he received such advice. [131799]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State receives advice as appropriate before he takes decisions.
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§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment for how long schools will be compensated for the additional salary costs of teachers they recruit who are already in receipt of performance-related pay. [131536]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisA new Special Grant in England will target funds to support the additional pay costs of the new performance threshold for teachers separately from schools' delegated budgets until March 2002. The funding arrangements beyond that point will be decided in the light of the Government spending review and the early experience of the teachers' pay reforms.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if the standards for teachers' threshold assessment for performance related pay for 2001–02 will be the same as for the current year. [131537]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisThe standards for teachers' threshold assessment were quashed in the Judicial Review brought by the NUT. At this time it is not possible to say what they will be for the current year or for 2001–02.