§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the establishment of the National Curriculum Council.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerThe National Curriculum Council, which was set up in shadow form earlier this year, was formally established under section 14 of the Education Reform Act 1988 on 15 August, under the chairmanship of Mr. Duncan Graham CBE who will also act as the council's chief executive. The council currently has 13 members, including its chairman. I intend to make two further appointments to bring the membership up to the full complement of 15 provided for in the Act.
I have approved the council's proposal to locate its main offices in York.
I wrote to Mr. Graham on 26 August about the work of the council. Its initial tasks include conducting statutory consultations on my proposals for attainment targets and programmes of study in mathematics and science for pupils aged five to 16 which I sent to the council on its establishment. Copies of my letter and of the proposals have been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.