Oral Answers to Questions

Simon Danczuk Excerpts

Monday 21st November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Teather]

Trying to encourage smaller schools in particular to work together on best practice, especially if they have similar catchment areas, is an excellent initiative. It is helpful to hear about what is happening on the ground.

[Simon Danczuk (Rochdale) (Lab)]

3. What assessment he has made of the findings of the report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies on Trends in Education and Schools Spending.

[John Woodcock (Barrow and Furness) (Lab/Co-op)]

13. What assessment he has made of the findings of the report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies on Trends in Education and Schools Spending.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Michael Gove)]

I read the IFS report with interest, and found its arguments thought-provoking.

[Simon Danczuk]

The report shows that education spending is being reduced dramatically. Head teachers in Rochdale and throughout the country deserve our praise for their hard work in dealing with the cuts that are being made by the Government of whom the Secretary of State is a member. Will he take this opportunity to apologise for describing head teachers as whingers?

[Michael Gove]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for praising head teachers in Rochdale. Head teachers everywhere are doing a fantastic job with limited resources. The one thing that I hope I shall be able to work with the hon. Gentleman to ensure is that head teachers can make those resources go even further by allowing their schools to convert to academy status.