Section 119
1 There shall be not less than five or more than nine members of the Body (including the chairman).
2 A member shall hold and vacate office in accordance with the terms of his appointment (subject to the following provisions of this Schedule).
3 A member may resign by notice in writing to the Secretary of State.
4 The Secretary of State may by notice in writing dismiss a member if the member—
(a) is adjudged bankrupt,
(b) enters into an arrangement with his creditors, or
(c) is, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, unable, unfit or unwilling to perform his duties whether by reason of physical or mental illness or otherwise.
5 In Part 3 of Schedule 1 to the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 (c. 24) (disqualifying offices) for the entry relating to the body established under the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act 1991 (c. 49) there shall be substituted the following—
“Member, in receipt of remuneration, of the School Teachers' Review Body.”
6 The chairman may by notice in writing to the Prime Minister—
(a) resign as chairman, or
(b) resign as chairman and as a member of the Body.
7 Paragraph 4 shall apply to the chairman and for that purpose—
(a) a reference to the Secretary of State shall be taken as a reference to the Prime Minister, and
(b) the power may be exercised so as to dismiss the chairman only from that office or also from membership of the Body.
8 If the chairman ceases to be a member of the Body he also ceases to be chairman.
9 The Secretary of State may appoint a member of the Body to act as deputy chairman.
10 The deputy chairman may by notice in writing to the Secretary of State—
(a) resign as deputy chairman, or
(b) resign as deputy chairman and as a member of the Body.
11 If the deputy chairman ceases to be a member of the Body he also ceases to be deputy chairman.
12 (1) This paragraph applies to—
(a) a member of the Body;
(b) the chairman;
(c) the deputy chairman.
(2) The Secretary of State may pay remuneration and allowances to a person to whom this paragraph applies.
(3) The Secretary of State may make payments to or in respect of a person to whom this paragraph applies by way of or in connection with—
(a) a pension;
(b) an allowance or gratuity on retirement or death.
(4) The Secretary of State may pay compensation to a person who ceases to be a member of the Body if the Secretary of State thinks it right by reason of special circumstances.
13 The Body shall determine their own proceedings (including any provision for a quorum).
14 The validity of proceedings of the Body shall not be affected by—
(a) a vacancy in the membership,
(b) a vacancy in the position of chairman, or
(c) a defect in the appointment of a member.
15 An appointment made by the Prime Minister under section 1(1) of the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act 1991 (c. 49) shall continue to have effect, subject to paragraphs 3, 4 and 6 to 11, after the commencement of this Schedule.
Section 148
1 The Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 (c. 30) is amended as follows.
2 In section 2 (which relates to the advisory functions of the General Teaching Council for England, and is applied by section 9 in relation to the General Teaching Council for Wales), in subsection (2) before the word “and” immediately following paragraph (e) there is inserted—
“(ee) the supply of teachers;
(ef) the retention of teachers within the teaching profession;
(eg) the standing of the teaching profession;”.
3 (1) Section 3 (which relates to the registration of teachers with the General Teaching Council for England, and is applied by section 9 in relation to the General Teaching Council for Wales) is amended as follows.
(2) In subsection (1) for “a register of teachers” there is substituted “a register for the purposes of this Chapter”.
(3) In subsection (2), for “registration” there is substituted “full or provisional registration”.
(4) In subsection (3) for “registration”, where first occurring and in paragraph (b), there is substituted “full registration”.
(5) After subsection (3) there is inserted—
“(3A) A person is eligible for provisional registration if he satisfies such conditions as may be prescribed.
(3B) A person is not eligible for provisional registration or full registration unless at the relevant time the Council are or were satisfied as to his suitability to be a teacher.
(3C) In subsection (3B) “the relevant time” means—
(a) in relation to an applicant for provisional registration or an applicant for full registration who is already registered with provisional registration, the time of provisional registration, or
(b) in the case of an applicant for full registration who is not already registered with provisional registration, the time of full registration.
(3D) Regulations may provide that any prescribed description of person is, or is not, to be taken to be suitable to be a teacher.”
(6) In subsection (4), for “registration” there is substituted “full registration”.
4 (1) Section 4 (which relates to regulations about the registration of teachers with the General Teaching Council for England, and is applied by section 9 in relation to the General Teaching Council for Wales) is amended as follows.
(2) In subsection (2), after paragraph (b) there is inserted—
“(ba) the service on applicants for registration of notice of the Council’s decision to grant or refuse the application and, in the case of a refusal, of the grounds on which the decision was taken and (where applicable) of the applicant’s right to appeal against the decision under section 4A;”.
(3) After subsection (4) there is inserted—
“(4A) The Council, in exercising any power to fix fees authorised by virtue of subsection (4), shall have regard to the expenditure of the Council in exercising—
(a) their functions under this Act relating to registration, and
(b) all other functions conferred on them under this Act or any other enactment.”
(4) After subsection (5) there is inserted—
“(6) In this section “registration” means full registration or provisional registration.”
5 After section 4 there is inserted—
(1) Regulations shall make provision for conferring on a person aggrieved by a decision made on relevant grounds to refuse an application made by him for registration under section 3 a right to appeal against the decision to the High Court within 28 days from the date on which notice of the decision is served on him.
(2) The reference in subsection (1) to a decision made on relevant grounds is to a decision made on the ground that at the relevant time the Council were not satisfied of the applicant’s suitability to be a teacher.
(3) On such an appeal the Court may make any order which appears appropriate.
(4) No appeal shall lie from any decision of the Court on such an appeal.”
6 After section 6 there is inserted—
(1) The Council may undertake activities designed to promote the standing of the teaching profession.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), such activities may include—
(a) giving advice,
(b) organising conferences and lectures, and
(c) arranging for the publication of material in any form.”
7 In section 9(1) (which lists provisions applying to the General Teaching Council for Wales), for “and section 7” there is substituted—
“section 6A, and
section 7,”.
8 In section 12 (deduction of fees from salaries etc) in subsection (4), after “section—” there is inserted—
““registration” means full registration or provisional registration;”.
9 In section 42 (orders and regulations), in subsection (2) (a) (orders subject to negative resolution procedure), after “section 7 or 8” there is inserted “or paragraph 18 of Schedule 1”.
10 In section 43(1) (general interpretation), in the definition of “registered teacher” after “section 3” there is inserted “with full or provisional registration”.
11 In Schedule 1 (constitution etc. of General Teaching Council for England), after paragraph 17 there is inserted—
18 (1) The Secretary of State may by order amend the preceding provisions of this Schedule for the purpose of removing or relaxing any control exercisable by him by virtue of any of the provisions of this Schedule specified in sub-paragraph (2).
(2) Those provisions are—
(a) paragraph 2(3),
(b) paragraph 4,
(c) paragraph 5,
(d) paragraph 6,
(e) paragraph 11
(f) paragraph 14(2).”
12 (1) Schedule 2 (disciplinary powers of Council) is amended as follows.
(2) For paragraph 4 (suspension orders) there is substituted—
“4 (1) Where a suspension order is made in relation to a person—
(a) he shall cease to be eligible for registration under section 3, and
(b) if he is a registered person at the time when the order is made, his name shall be removed from the register accordingly,
but, subject to sub-paragraph (2), he shall become so eligible again at the end of such period not exceeding two years as may be specified in the order.
(2) A suspension order may specify conditions to be complied with by the person to whom the order relates and where it does so—
(a) that person shall become eligible again for registration under section 3 at the end of the period specified under sub-paragraph (1) only if he has then complied with the conditions; and
(b) if he has not then complied with the conditions, he shall not become so eligible again until he has complied with the conditions.
(3) Sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph 3(2) apply in relation to a suspension order as they apply in relation to a conditional registration order.
(4) A person in relation to whom conditions have been specified in a suspension order may, in accordance with regulations, apply to the Council for them to vary or revoke any of the conditions.”
(3) In paragraph 8 (interpretation), after sub-paragraph (1) there is inserted—
“(1A) References in this Schedule to registration under section 3 are references to registration under that section with full or provisional registration.”
13 The Police Act 1997 (c. 50) is amended as follows.
14 In section 113 (criminal record certificates), after subsection (3F) (as inserted by paragraph 7(3) of Schedule 13) there is inserted—
“(3G) The references in subsections (3A) and (3C) to considering the applicant’s suitability to be employed, supplied to work, found work or given work in a position falling within subsection (3B) or (3D) include references to considering, for the purposes of section 3 of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 (registration of teachers with the General Teaching Council for England or the General Teaching Council for Wales), his suitability to be a teacher.”
15 (1) Section 115 (enhanced criminal record certificates) is amended as follows.
(2) In subsection (5), after paragraph (eb) there is inserted—
“(ec) registration under section 3 of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 (registration of teachers with the General Teaching Council for England or the General Teaching Council for Wales);”.
(3) After subsection (6BA) (as inserted by paragraph 8(3) of Schedule 13) there is inserted—
“(6BB) The references in subsections (6A) and (6B) to considering the applicant’s suitability to be employed, supplied to work, found work or given work in a position falling within section 113(3B) or (3D) include references to considering, for the purposes of section 3 of the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998, his suitability to be a teacher.”