Estelle Morris

“My focus and that of all members of the Government responsible for delivering services to the public is to make sure that the public sector can use all the skills it needs to do the job the public wants it to do.”

“You have got to attract the brightest and the best, but the brightest and best won't stay unless they see real career options.”

“OFSTED has made large cuts in the paperwork which schools are asked to provide and further steps to reduce the bureaucratic burden will be introduced in September.”

“This government has always said increasing pay is something for something.”

“I know there are things I did in education that will never be reversed. I have not done that in film yet because I have only been here for about nine months.”

“I do recognise that, where recruitment difficulties persist, teachers can be put under great pressure.”

“We do recognise the need to move towards the publication of information showing the progress made by pupils from one stage of their education to another.”

“Where the private sector, or anyone else, has skills, knowledge and resources that can help to deliver a high quality of education and to raise standards, we should use them.”

“The need for improved technical support in schools has expanded as the Government and schools have increased their investment in information and communications technologies.”

“I was head of the Sixth Form Centre when I left the school.”

“There is a shortage of teachers but the January 2001 schools census showed that teacher numbers were at their highest level than at any time since 1984 - and 11,000 higher than 1997.”

“If you invent the Mini Cooper, pour all your energy and passion into it and it gets made, you should be on a roll. In the film industry you have to start again the next day.”

“If we can modernise the workforce, make them better qualified, have this framework of qualifications, then I think they have a very good case for more money.”

“I want to give producers more financial security.”

“At different times I taught humanities, social sciences and pre-vocational education.”

“It is a very unusual sector and the one thing I would ask of them is to understand that for most of them one-third of their films are being financed by the taxpayer and that carries huge accountability and responsibility.”

“What politicians want to create is irreversible change because when you leave office someone changes it back again.”

“However, the Government has made it clear that we do not encourage the recruitment of teachers from developing nations where there may be an adverse effect on the economy.”

“My Department has already recognised this and has been working specifically on the technical support issue since January and will offer advice to schools during the Autumn term.”

“Headteachers and governing bodies run schools and that won't change.”