Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Children, Schools and Families – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 30 November 2009.
Edward Balls
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families
2:30,
30 November 2009
That question goes to the heart of the debate-and to the heart of the confusion among the Opposition-on education policy. The fact is that there are 100,000 more young people now making the grade at age 11 compared with 10 years ago, but it is not possible consistently to say that every child should do a test in key stage 1 and learn phonics while at the same time having it as a policy that all schools should opt out of the national curriculum by becoming primary school academies. The hon. Gentleman's desire for phonics teaching is completely undermined by the policy of his hon. Friend Michael Gove to abolish the requirement for phonics in the national curriculum. That would be the wrong thing to do-
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
