Letter to The Chairman from the Rt Hon
Jim Knight MP, Minister for Schools and Learners, DCSF
Since the Secretary of State and I gave evidence
to your committee, it has come to our attention that there is
an error in the oral evidence which I gave to Lord Sutherland
during his inquiry.
This error is reported in paragraph 4.137, which
was quoted by the Secretary of State at your committee last week:
"As late as 17 June when the Schools Minister
met QCA's Chief Executive and NAA's Managing Director, they provided
reassurances."
I have now realised that in my account of events,
I inadvertently conflated two separate meetings. On 17 June, I
met David Gee (Managing Director of the National Assessment Agency
(NAA)). Ken Boston was not present at that meeting.
I have written to Lord Sutherland explaining
the mistake and the accurate series of events, and I attach a
copy of my letter to him. As I say in my letter, there was no
intention to mislead Lord Sutherland, and the position on attendance
at the meeting on 17 June was correctly recorded in the Department's
written evidence to the inquiry. But I believe that it is important
to take this opportunity to set the record straight on exactly
when those meetings took place and with whom.
I am copying this letter to Lord Sutherland.
9 February 2009
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