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Proceeding contribution from Barry Sheerman (Labour) in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 2 March 2011. It occurred during Estimates day on Sure Start Children's Centres.


Sure Start Children's Centres

Sorry, I disagree. It is a call for greater management. When an idea is rolled out and franchised, it is essential to ensure that there is a set of standards, that people know that they are expected to reach those standards, and that those standards are delivered. May I point the hon. Lady to the remarkable work of Lord Baker when he was Secretary of State? He picked up the challenge of Jim Callaghan's Oxford speech to Ruskin, in which Callaghan said that we needed an inspectorate to check on quality, testing and assessment to find out how children are progressing, and a national curriculum. Jim Callaghan never did anything about it, because he did not have a majority or any money. Ten years later Ken Baker did it. He knew that we had to be able to deliver nationally to a national standard.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
524 c327 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Finance Children, Schools and Families Committee Sure Start programme Education Committee Children's centres
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk