HC Deb 10 February 1986 vol 91 cc324-5W
Mr. Nicholas Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total number of advisers and other non-teaching staff employed (a) by his Department and (b) by local education authorities on curriculum development for each year from 1975 to 1986; and what was the total cost by year.

Mr. Chris Patten

Although the Department funds a variety of curriculum development work, officials are not themselves directly involved in carrying it forward. Her Majesty's inspectors of schools do engage in and support curriculum development by such means as their programme of short courses for teachers and participation in in-service training activities arranged by local education authorities. They also stimulate such work through their publications, inspection reports and day-to-day contacts with the education service. Information is not available to quantify or to cost the amount of time spent on these various activities. Nor is information available centrally in respect of the work of advisers and other non-teaching staff employed by local education authorities.