§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which external consultants the Department of Education employed in the development, distribution and promotion of the Costello Report. [160984]
§ Jane KennedyNo external consultants were employed by my Department in the development, distribution and promotion of the Post-Primary Review Working Group's report. A private company was contracted to print and distribute copies of the report to schools and other bodies.
§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what amount was spent on(a) printing the Costello Report and (b) the design, printing and distribution of the leaflet, Information about Transfer Tests and New Post-Primary Arrangements. [160985]
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§ Jane KennedyThe cost of printing the Costello Report was £25,000 and the cost of the design, printing and distribution of the household leaflet was £ 134,000.
§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list(a) the groups and individuals he has met and (b) the groups and individuals that have requested a meeting with him to discuss post-primary arrangements, since the publication of the Costello Report. [160986]
§ Jane KennedySince the publication of the Costello Report, I met with representatives of the UUP, DUP, SDLP, Sinn Fein, the Alliance Party and the Governing Bodies Association. I have received a request for a meeting with representatives of the Catholic Bishops of Northern Ireland and I hope to meet with them in the very near future.
§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when guidance will be issued to schools about the management, planning arrangements and timetable outlined in the Implementation Process Timetable in the Costello Group Report. [160989]
§ Jane KennedySchools will be kept informed about the implementation arrangements as they are developed. Advice about the initial stages of implementation is expected to be issued to schools before the end of the current school year.