To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what meetings took place between the Minister for Schools and officials at the National Assessment Agency during 2008.

[Official Report, 20 April 2009, Vol. 491, c. 248W.]

Letter of correction from Jim Knight:

An error has been identified in the final paragraph of the written answer given to the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton (Mr. Gibb) on 20 April 2009. The original answer referred to meetings that I held with officials from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority on 6 February, 18 March, 6 August, 14 August and 15 September. The full correct answer should have been: (245828)

I met with David Gee, managing editor of the then National Assessment Agency (NAA), on 17 June and with David Gee and Ken Boston, chief executive of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), on 2 July. I also met Ken Boston on 3 July. These meetings related to the delivery of national curriculum tests in 2008. As set out in Lord Sutherland’s report, there were regular meetings between senior officials in the Department, QCA and NAA as part of the governance arrangements explained in the report to monitor QCA’s delivery of its remit.

I also met with officials from QCA on 6 February, 6 August, 14 August and 15 September to discuss matters relating to QCA’s wider agenda.