PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
REDUNDANCIES IN SCHOOLS (13 April 2003)

That this House notes with concern that thousands of teachers and classroom assistants are facing redundancy due to deficits in school budgets; also notes that these deficits are caused by higher employers' national insurance contributions and the need for higher contributions to teachers' pensions and other additional costs borne by schools; is further concerned that the General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers believes that there will be thousands of redundancies, particularly in the south and that Bedfordshire schools, not the worst affected, are considering making 21 teachers or teaching assistants redundant; also notes that increased teacher workload has contributed to this situation and that the former head of St. Edmund's Primary School in Kings Lynn has said 'Legislation spews out of Whitehall like a demented fax machine.'; calls on the Government to ensure that increased school funding is not cancelled out by even greater cost increases paid for by schools and that teacher workloads are reduced by severely limiting the flow of Whitehall directives and removing many of their current obligations on teachers.

Sponsored by:
Andrew Selous (Conservative)