Official Report: Minutes of Evidence

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): The Committee will now formally determine and set out its position on each clause and will divide if necessary. All decisions today are final and will be reflected in the Committee's report, notwithstanding any amendments that Members may wish to table at Consideration Stage, following this stage. I remind members that, if the Committee is not content with a clause, it can register its formal opposition to the Question that the clause stand part of the Bill, which will ensure that the clause is debated at Consideration Stage.

It is anticipated that the Committee will conclude all formal deliberations at today's meeting and that it will agree its report at a future meeting, hopefully next week. That is the intention. I will now move through each clause of the Bill.

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): No amendments to clause have been proposed through the Committee process.

Mr Sheehan: May I make a comment?

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): Yes.

Mr Sheehan: I have already mentioned in closed session that I intend to propose an amendment to ensure that half of the members of the committee are elected from registered teachers. The reason for that is that we received a letter from Brendan Morgan of NASUWT refuting the allegations that teachers were responsible for the dysfunction and chaos in the organisation. He outlines 13 reasons that show why teachers were not responsible for the problems. I wanted to put that on the record. I am happy for clause 1 to go ahead as is, but I intend to propose an amendment at Consideration Stage; in fact, I have already tabled it.

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): Thank you, Deputy Chair. I am content with the clause as drafted, subject to further debate at Consideration Stage. Are all other members content?

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): One amendment to clause 2 was proposed, but it has been agreed that there is no plan to go forward formally with that amendment.

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): One amendment to the clause was proposed, but it has been agreed that no Member will take it forward at this stage of the process.

The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): That concludes the formal clause-by-clause consideration of the General Teaching Council Bill.