9:00 pm
Nick Gibb (Shadow Minister, Children, Schools and Families; Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, Conservative)
I would like to ask you about another issue: the provisions relating to behaviour and the new powers for schools. What is your view of those and do you think that they deal with the problem of proportionality, which I understand is a concern for teachers. The phrase in the existing legislation is that teachers have to “act proportionately”. Of course, they are going to want to act proportionately and do act proportionately. However, the requirement in the legislation to act proportionately is, I understand, a cause of uncertainty in the profession that prohibits and is a disincentive to using those powers. Will you let the Committee have your views about the current provisions in the Bill relating to behaviour and the existing legislative structure?