To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the (a) name, (b) professional and academic qualifications and (c) relevant experience are of the finance director of his Department. [80089]

The Director General of Finance of the Department for Education and Skills is Jonathan Thompson.

He is a qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), a member of the CIPFA Council and a member of the Chartered Institute of Management.

He was appointed in May 2006. He was previously Director of Finance of Ofsted, and before that Director of Finance and Resources at North Somerset council. Prior to that he was senior public sector services manager with Ernst and Young.