1. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on terms and conditions for supply teachers? OAQ51292

Thank you very much, Leanne. The responsibility for teachers’ pay and conditions has yet to be transferred to Wales. But we both agree, I know from previous discussions over the years past, that we will welcome that very much indeed. On 24 October, I set out how we are working to support our temporary teachers. This includes £2.7 million funding available to support alternative school-based cluster supply arrangements and the scoping of a central matching register.

In recent weeks, I've received many representations from supply teachers, and it's clear that the system that currently exists is uneven, chaotic and exploitative. Agencies are driving down pay rates to such an extent that one supply teacher is now getting less than she was able to earn as a newly qualified teacher two decades ago. Now, that can't be right. Nor can it be right that profits are being made on the back of supply teachers' poor pay and conditions. Now, as Cabinet Secretary, there is something that you can do about this; you don't have to wait for the devolution of pay and conditions. So, will you commit to righting the wrongs of the past by introducing a centralised system for supply teachers in Wales, for the whole of Wales, for all supply teachers, like the ones that exist already in Northern Ireland and Scotland, so that we can finally deliver fair play for this important but often marginalised sector in our education system?

Thank you very much, Leanne. Let me make it absolutely clear: we do not condone the practice of schools or agencies negotiating low pay rates for supply teachers. The situation we have at present is that schools are responsible for the staffing of individual schools, and unless we move away from a direct management of schools model, that is currently the situation where we are at the moment. But that's not to say that we can simply rest on our laurels and do nothing until the devolution of pay and conditions arrives.

The Welsh Government recently published the code of practice of ethical employment in supply chains, and that has been circulated to all schools and to local authorities to remind them of their commitments and the Welsh Government's commitments to ethical supply processes. We've introduced this new pilot to look to see whether that provides us with a solution, moving forward. But it's also important to recognise that, when the task and finish group set up by my predecessor looked at this issue, they did not recommend moving to a central register system—they couldn't make an overall recommendation. But I'm currently scoping work on whether that would be applicable to Wales, and my officials have been to see the Northern Ireland example.

Cabinet Secretary, I raised the question not long ago, and really, word by word, Leanne Wood has put the question in the same way, but I will still add my question. Employing supply teachers through agencies has led to lower pay and poor terms and conditions. That's what we're talking about here—the terms and conditions of supply teachers. A constituent in Newport has raised concerns with me very recently that instead of receiving £140 a day, they're receiving only £95, because the rest of the money goes to the agency that supplies the teacher. I don't think that's the right thing to do, Minister. Many of my constituent's colleagues are thinking of leaving this profession altogether and they want to know why Wales does not have—Leanne just mentioned the same thing—a central register system as they do in other devolved nations in the United Kingdom, so that we can keep our highly talented and devoted teachers in school. Thank you.

Given that you have just repeated the points that Leanne Wood just made, I will repeat the answer that I just gave to Leanne Wood. My officials are currently scoping whether a national model register would be appropriate to our nation. 

Cabinet Secretary, I've been having some interesting discussions with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council about their work with Welsh Government on the pilot project that you referred to, and I'm quite surprised that the directly elected Member for the Rhondda appears not to know that RCT council has been engaging in that pilot. I know that RCT believes that this could improve standards, enhance teacher development and reduce cost. What monitoring of this system will Welsh Government undertake to see what aspects of best practice can be rolled out across Wales?

Thank you, Vikki. The response that we've had from schools and local authorities involved in the £2.7 million cluster has been extremely positive. Arrangements are in place to closely monitor and evaluate this initiative, including the commissioning of a formal research project, independent of the Government, so that we can ascertain the impact that this pilot has. What's important is that we look at the impact on children especially, and standards in our schools, as well as the employment terms for individual teachers. What will also be really important from that pilot is to give us the evidence of whether this is a viable option to put out right the way across the system, not just for newly qualified teachers in the pilot areas. 

Cabinet Secretary, I'm advised that New Directions is not the cheapest option for supply teachers in Wales, yet they are the preferred agency. The following allegations about freebies said to be used by New Directions have been made. I have no opinion as to the veracity or the truthfulness of these allegations, but they have been put. It has been alleged to me that New Directions provide free sport event tickets, boozy free golf days, and football kits for schools, allegedly in order to secure more business. Will you investigate these allegations and report back to this Chamber?

If the Member is able to provide evidence of those allegations, I would be more than happy to investigate them. Actually, I am due to meet with New Directions shortly to discuss Members' concerns and my concerns over supply teaching.