That this House believes nine million children deserve quality education and welcomes the Children's Charter produced by the National Union of Teachers as a positive statement to raise standards and educational opportunities for children; supports the principle of a free high-quality education system committed to equal opportunities for all pupils, with all schools equitably resourced; recognises that a high-quality education service relies upon well-motivated, properly qualified and trained teachers, with time and resources available to them to fulfil their professional role; and calls upon the Government and all political parties represented in Parliament to commit themselves to providing the policies that will so enhance and develop the education system to meet present and future needs.

That this House believes nine million children deserve quality education and welcomes the Children's Charter produced by the National Union of Teachers as a positive statement to raise standards and educational opportunities for children; supports the principle of a free high-quality education system committed to equal opportunities for all pupils,...

That this House is greatly concerned by the effective cut by 15 per cent. of eligible education expenditure announced for 1992-93 by the Home Office for section 11 funding payments to local authorities; notes that these grants account for 75 per cent. of salary costs of staff engaged in special provision for ethnic minorities; believes that teachers paid from these funds provide an invaluable service by teaching English as a second language, giving bilingual support, making the curriculum accessible to ethnic minority pupils, giving pastoral support and being involved in home school liaison; is alarmed by the Home Office guidance which outlines a scaling down procedure for projects, subject to a tapering of the rate of grant, which will inevitably lead to a proportionate loss of section 11 posts within local education authorities; and urges the Government to recognise the continuing value of the work undertaken supporting ethnic minority pupils alongside their class teachers, and restore expenditure levels prior to its formal financial approval of funding levels in February 1992 to provide security of employment to section 11 teachers.

That this House is greatly concerned by the effective cut by 15 per cent. of eligible education expenditure announced for 1992-93 by the Home Office for section 11 funding payments to local authorities; notes that these grants account for 75 per cent. of salary costs of staff engaged in special...

That this House, believing that wild and unsubstantiated statements about individuals or organisations, play an unacceptable role in politics, condemns the untrue statement by the honourable Member for Enfield North, presently the Minister of State for Education, that the National Union of Teachers 'subscribes heavily to the Labour Party'; and, although he has now apologised and withdrawn this statement, further believes that any costs involved should be paid by himself and not the Treasury.

That this House, believing that wild and unsubstantiated statements about individuals or organisations, play an unacceptable role in politics, condemns the untrue statement by the honourable Member for Enfield North, presently the Minister of State for Education, that the National Union of Teachers 'subscribes heavily to the Labour Party'; and,...

That this House welcomes the decision by parents at Silverdale School in Sheffield to keep the school within the local authority and reject grant maintained status; and believes that the ballot, in which 82 per cent of the parents participated and which resulted in 384 in favour of opting out and 671 against, shows a clear vote of confidence in local government in general and the Sheffield local education authority in particular at a time of enormous challenges and financial pressure and is to be welcomed.

That this House welcomes the decision by parents at Silverdale School in Sheffield to keep the school within the local authority and reject grant maintained status; and believes that the ballot, in which 82 per cent of the parents participated and which resulted in 384 in favour of opting out...

That this House, noting the introduction of more parental choice under the Education Reform Act, requires parents to be given the right to decide how their children should be disciplined; and calls upon the Government to allow schools to state in their prospectus whether or not corporal punishment will be administered, thereby giving parents the opportunity to decide for themselves.

That this House, noting the introduction of more parental choice under the Education Reform Act, requires parents to be given the right to decide how their children should be disciplined; and calls upon the Government to allow schools to state in their prospectus whether or not corporal punishment will be...

That this House notes the danger posed to the successful implementation of the national curriculum by the growing shortage of full-time, part-time and supply teachers in our classrooms and of teachers with qualifications appropriate to the subjects they teach; notes with concern suggestions that this danger can be averted by the introduction of regional differentials in teachers' pay which would merely shift shortages round the country without addressing the real problems which are the need to retain teachers already in schools, recruit sufficient graduates into teaching and encourage those who have left the profession to return by making teachers' salaries competitive with those paid to other professional groups, improving the inadequate level of resourcing which also threatens the success of the national curriculum, and improving teacher morale, a first step towards which would be restoration of their negotiating rights; and urges the Government to restore teachers' negotiating rights immediately, recognise the inadequacy of the ??600 million constraint on salary increases this year by funding in full an increase which would provide proper professional levels of pay, incentive allowances, and salaries for heads and deputies reflecting the importance of the job the profession does.

That this House notes the danger posed to the successful implementation of the national curriculum by the growing shortage of full-time, part-time and supply teachers in our classrooms and of teachers with qualifications appropriate to the subjects they teach; notes with concern suggestions that this danger can be averted by...