§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she has drawn up a code of good practice on consultation on lines recommended by the efficiency scrutiny on the administration burden on schools. [42025]
§ Mr. Robin SquireMy officials are planning to draft a code of practice on lines recommended in the scrutiny report and seek views on the usefulness of such a code.
§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she has accepted the recommendation of the efficiency scrutiny on the 959W administration burden on schools that periods of consultation should last at least 10 weeks, not including school holidays. [42028]
§ Mr. SquireI consider that this is a commendable ideal for the Department, but one that it is not always possible to achieve. Other demands such as the parliamentary and legislative timetable, sometimes necessitate shorter consultation periods if we are to avoid long delays in Government action. The recommendation acknowledged this.