To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2009, Official Report, columns 221-2W on local government: disclosure of information, how many people have contacted Ofsted's National Business Unit anonymously in each of the last four years; how many Ofsted investigators have been investigated as a result; and if he will make a statement. (267787)

[holding answer 30 March 2009]: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries.

Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 1 April 2009:

Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.

Ofsted has only recorded the number of anonymous contacts with the National Business Unit—that may have required action, as opposed to simple requests for information—since April 2007, when the new organisation came into being. These anonymous contacts relate to complaints about schools. Table A shows the number in each year as recorded in our system.

Some additional anonymous contacts relating to the compliance, investigation and enforcement activities we undertake on childcare, daycare and other children's services are made directly to our inspectors or local teams, rather than via the National Business Unit. This information is not collated or held centrally and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.

As these were complaints about schools and not about inspections, they did not lead to any Ofsted inspectors being investigated.

A copy of this reply has been sent to the Rt Hon Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.