Meetings

The Committee considered further correspondence and agreed to write to the Minister for Education, prior to producing a report on this issue, to ask:

·         for an update on the implementation of the new managed service framework specification for agency workers;

·         for a response to the points raised by supply agencies and the petitioner about the national minimum pay rate not being followed in some cases or upheld by legislation; and

·         about the next steps following the recent evaluation of the School Based Cluster Supply Model Project.

The Committee considered correspondence from a range of stakeholders and agreed to:

·         Seek the views of supply agencies the issues raised by the petition; and once received

·         use all of the evidence gathered to date to produce a report, including recommendations, on the Committee’s consideration of the petition.

Kirsty Williams AM, Minister for Education

Neil Welch - Head of Workforce Engagement, Welsh Government

Gail Deane - Senior Policy Manager, Welsh Government

The Committee heard evidence from the Minister for Education and Neil Welch.

The Committee considered further correspondence and agreed to invite the Minister for Education to attend a Committee meeting in order to provide further evidence on this issue.

Neil McEvoy declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

he has previously worked as a supply teacher.

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Education together with further comments from the petitioner and agreed to:

• write to the Minister for Education to:

o   seek a response to the further questions asked by the petitioners;

o   ask her to clarify why she does not currently consider it suitable to have a regional or locally-based public sector solution to the provision of supply teachers; and

• request a legal note on the Welsh Government’s powers to direct school governing bodies or local authorities to employ supply staff directly.

Neil McEvoy declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

He has previously worked as a supply teacher.

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Education together with further comments from the petitioner and agreed to:

·         write back to the Cabinet Secretary to ask whether the Welsh Government is still giving consideration to developing an alternative model for maintaining a list of supply teachers – such as a public sector solution – alongside the work to revise the managed service framework for agency workers; and

·         seek further information about individual schools or local authorities who employ supply teachers without the use of agencies.

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and agreed to seek an update from the Cabinet Secretary for Education on work underway to:

• implement a Welsh model for setting teachers’ pay and conditions; and
• revise the tender specification for agencies.

Due to time constraints, and to allow the petitioner additional time to provide comments, the Committee agreed to defer consideration of the petition to a future meeting.

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and agreed to write back to the Cabinet Secretary for Education to ask for:

·         her response to the proposals made by the petitioners;

·         her view on the potential for regional education consortia to take a role in organising the provision of supply teaching in their areas; and

·         an update on:

• the work of the Supply Working Group; and
• the review of the current contract for the preferred agency provider of supply teachers.

Neil McEvoy declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

He has previously worked as a supply teacher.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and, in light of the range of issues and concerns raised by the petition, agreed to ask the petitioners whether there are any specific solutions to the issues raised that they would like the Committee to explore in taking consideration of the petition forward.