§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he plans to launch a governors' advice line as recommended by the Education and Employment Committee's Fifth report of Session 1998–99, HC509—I; and when it will be available for school governors to use. [126904]
§ Jacqui SmithThe Government stated their commitment to providing a single national helpline for school governors in the response my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made last autumn to the Select Committee's Report on the Role of School Governors. Negotiations with national governor organisations' representatives are continuing. Meanwhile, we are funding the three existing governors' helplines provided by the National Governors' Council, the National Association of Governors and Managers and Information for School and College Governors.
We greatly appreciate the work done by governors, as volunteers, and we want them to have access to independent advice from experienced governors.