Wales education minister has sent a robust letter to his English counterpart telling her not to try to impose her own policies here with no consideration for devolution. Jeremy Miles, who is one of the two people vying to succeed Mark Drakeford as First Minister, sent to letter to England's education minister Gillian Keegan.
The pair were clashing over England's plan to bring in anti-strike legislation in schools across the border. Mr Miles wrote to the UK government minister telling her that the legislation was flawed and would trample over the devolution settlement, which gives ministers in Cardiff Bay responsibility for schools and universities in Wales.
The UK government is consulting on a proposal to bring in minimum service levels in schools, colleges and universities in Wales, should staff take industrial action. Mr Miles wrote back, saying, "Welsh Ministers will not participate in this fundamentally flawed exercise”.
Hundreds of schools across Wales and England shut last academic year as teachers walked out in a row over pay and conditions and the matter was resolved with revised pay offers coming from both governments.
Now Ms Keegan has unveiled plans to make heads enforce a minimum level of staffing during industrial action. Unions say teachers risk being sacked under the anti-strike plans which became law earlier this year, but was initially only due to apply to rail and emergency service workers.
Ms Keegan has launched a consultation on imposing the requirement in education settings to prevent schools from shutting their doors during strikes. The plan would prioritise attendance for vulnerable and key workers’ children, exam groups and primary school pupils and remote education would be expected for non-priority pupils.
