asked the Minister of Education whether he will review the constitution of the Burnham Committee Teachers' Panel so as to include one or more representatives of the National Association of Schoolmasters.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave on 24th March to the hon. Member for Barry (Mr. Gower).

Perhaps my hon. Friend will be good enough to look at that reply. Can he give me any reason why this Association, which has the third largest membership of teachers, should be regarded as being incapable of rendering useful service on the Panel?

Representation on the Committee is not determined solely by size, and I think that the smaller associations which are represented, and which my hon. Friend probably has in mind, are represented because they are teachers with a distinct interest in certain types of schools.

Does my hon. Friend appreciate that this Association has a membership of 15,000? Is that small?

I am aware of that, but I did say that size is not the determining factor. There would be other associations with an equal claim to representation.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that if he interferes with the present constitution of the Burnham Committee, he will be asking for trouble? [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] We may as well face facts. Is the hon. Gentleman further aware that the profession much prefers to settle its domestic affairs outside the political arena rather than inside it?

This is not a new issue. My right hon. Friend has reconsidered it, but he has merely confirmed the decision of, I think, all his predecessors.