§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to respond to the recommendations of the First Annual report of the Sustainable Development Education Panel; and if he will make a statement. [88891]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThese are important and wide-ranging recommendations. I congratulate the Panel on its hard work.
I met the Chairman of the Panel, Sir Geoffrey Holland, and Panel members in May, and discussed their plans to consult on the recommendations in the Annual Report affecting further and higher education, youth services, and training for employment. As far as the schools sector is concerned, we agreed that the current consultation on the draft National Curriculum would enable the sector to state its views on the coverage of sustainable development, particularly in geography, science and citizenship.
I am keen to develop appropriate partnerships in the area of out-of-school education, and I asked the Panel to let me have further proposals on this. I am also keen to involve employers as much as possible in spreading sustainable development messages and I hope to speak at an event organised by the Panel in due course.
I have written to Anthea Millet, the Chief Executive of the Teacher Training Agency, and to Chris Woodhead, HM Chief Inspector of Schools, asking them to meet 223W Sir Geoffrey to discuss the Annual Report's implications for teacher training and the inspection framework. The meeting between Sir Geoffrey and Anthea Millett has now taken place, and I understand that the TTA will write to Sir Geoffrey shortly to follow up the meeting with some suggestions on sustainable development.
I propose to meet the Panel Chairman and members from time to time to review progress.