Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the (a) pay band, (b) salary and (c) responsibilities are of Mr Tom Crick in his role as Senior Advisor to her Department's Curriculum and Assessment Review; whether that role was open to external candidates; and on what basis he was appointed as a civil servant rather than a special adviser.

The role of the Senior Adviser to the Curriculum and Assessment Review is to support the Review Group and its Chair, Professor Becky Francis, in their engagement with the education sector to develop proposals on how best to refresh the curriculum to ensure it is cutting edge, fit for purpose and meeting the needs of children and young people to support their future life and work.

The role was a direct appointment to the civil service to a grade below the Senior Civil Service for a fixed term and with no line management responsibilities.

Making a direct appointment ensured appointment at pace with someone with a unique combination of skills including a strong connection to the sector and alignment with the anticipated time period of the review. As a civil servant, the role is embedded within departmental line management and wider policies, for example the Civil Service Code.