Scrap inspection agencies, say Lib Dems
The Liberal Democrats are proposing to scrap nine inspection agencies – among them Ofsted.
They the cost of inspection has rocketed under Labour from £250 million to £650 million and scrapping the nine bodies would result in a more dynamic inspection process.
The bodies lined up to be scrapped are the Adult learning Inspectorate, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, the Office for Standards in Education, the Healthcare Commission, the Social Services Inspectorate, the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate, Her Majesty’s Fire Service Inspectorate and the Housing Corporation.
It envisages that the nine bodies would form a single inspectorate under the umbrella of the Audit Commission and would focus on struggling organisations, rather than those that are high performing.
Ed Davey, spokesman on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, said that the plans would encourage a streamlined approach to inspection.
Mr Davey said: “We need a properly independent, streamlined and focused approach to inspections. The present system is unwieldy, expensive, duplicates effort and gives too much influence to government departments.
“We need to get central government off the backs of local government – to get Whitehall out of the town hall. Our plans would save the taxpayer hundreds of millions of pounds. It’s high time to cut back on red tape and make sure inspections take place where they are really needed.”
Specifically on the plan to scrap Ofsted, Phil Willis, the Liberal Democrats education spokesman, said that it would reduce the burden of administration that schools and teachers complained about.
Mr Willis said: “Our students are being tested, our schools and colleges inspected and league tables produced at such an excessive level that it is having a negative effect on learning.”
He added: “For most teachers OFSTED means unnecessary paperwork, increased stress and time away from the real work of teaching. Under Liberal Democrat plans, the Audit Commission will act neither as a tool of the profession nor of Whitehall, but offer strategic reviews focussed on the schools that need it most.”
