To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what requirement there is for members of the boards of governors of schools to undergo child protection training. (74624)

School governors are not required by law to take up child protection training.

However, it is a duty of the board of governors of a grant-aided school to safeguard and promote the welfare of its registered pupils and to determine measures to be taken at the school with a view to protecting pupils from abuse.

The education and library boards have a duty to provide training for school governors in their responsibilities and this includes child protection. In the interests of child protection the Department has decided that, from 1 September 2006, at least one governor on every school staff recruitment and selection interview panel should be trained in recruitment and selection including child protection issues. It is a matter for each board of governors to invite its members to self nominate for such training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people from the business sector have applied to become school governors since May 2005. (77096)

Complete records of the occupations of those who applied for school governors posts since May 2005 are not readily available. However, the Department has actively encouraged people with management skills e.g. business, financial and personnel management expertise, including those from within the business sector, to come forward to volunteer as school governors.