HC Deb 21 May 1990 vol 173 cc46-7W
Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a list of the committees presently established by the National Curriculum Council, the number of members of each committee known to be practicing school teachers and the proportion of such members within the total membership of each committee.

Mrs. Rumbold

The information requested is set out in the following table:

Committee Number of practising teachers Proportion of such members to total Per cent.
Whole curriculum 3 19
National curriculum A 5 29
National curriculum B 4 25
Professional development 3 21
Curriculum review 2 15

Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state his responsibilities and policy towards securing that practising school teachers are represented among the membership of(a) the National Curriculum Council and (b) committees established by the National Curriculum Council.

Mrs. Rumbold

Section 14(2) of the Education Reform Act 1988 requires that appointments to the National Curriculum Councilshall include persons having relevant knowledge or experience in education".

My right hon. Friend makes appointments on a personal, not a representative basis. He seeks to appoint members who between them have wide-ranging knowledge and experience in education. He is also concerned that there should be some members with knowledge and experience of the business world. Two of the current members are practising head teachers; others have had teaching experience.

The National Curriculum Council is responsible for determining membership of its committees.