To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what discussions he has had with the General Teaching Council on arrangements for implementation of his Department’s proposed licence to practise; how much funding has been allocated to the implementation of that scheme; and if he will make a statement. (316908)

We are working closely through a joint project with the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) to design a licensing system that is simple and workable. The clauses providing for a ‘licence to practise’ are included in the Children, Schools and Families Bill which is progressing through Parliament. We have already published an impact assessment alongside the Bill which outlines our current estimates of the costs of introducing the system to support the ‘licence to practise’. We will have a clearer picture of the precise costs once the joint work with the GTCE is concluded. The impact assessment and other related documents are available on the website at:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/childrenschoolsandfamiliesbill/