§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the total estimated cost of the survey of school governors currently being undertaken by Touche Ross management consultants on behalf of the Welsh Office; how many forms have been sent out; and for what purpose the information is being sought;
(2) when he intends to publish the information gathered through the survey of school governors undertaken by his Department; and whether each subsection and possible answer will be comprehensively included in the publication;
(3) if he will make it his policy that no disciplinary action will be taken against any school governor in Wales who refuses to fill in the survey of school governors questionnaire.
§ Sir Wyn RobertsThe cost of the survey of school governors in Wales is in the region of £40,000. Some 26,000 forms have been distributed to governing bodies in Wales. The survey will provide information on the background, experience, and work load of governors and will be of help to both the Welsh Office Education Department and local education authorities.
The results of the survey should be available in the summer. The exact form in which the results will be published has yet to be decided.
There is no question of any sanction whatsoever being taken against schools or governors who do not participate in the survey. Clearly the value of the survey is increased if as many governors as possible participate.