The man at the centre of the SATS marking fiasco has the use of a £1 million Chelsea flat as part of his pay and perks package, it was revealed today. Ken Boston, 65, came under increasing pressure to justify his £328,000-ayear deal as it emerged that half a million children could be forced to re-sit key tests.

Dr Boston is paid more than the Governor of the Bank of England in salary, which jumped 15 per cent from last year, and perks which include the flat and six business-class flights a year back to his home country of Australia. The flights, which typically cost between £3,700 and £7,700, can be claimed by either Dr Boston, his wife Yvonne or daughter Nathalie.

He is chief executive of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority which has come in for a hail of criticism over the late delivery of the results of tests taken by 11- and 14-year-olds across England, as well as alleged poor marking standards. The company’s five-year contract is worth £165 million. As the marking crisis deepened, with at least 175,000 children still waiting for results, Dr Boston faced growing pressure over his decision to hire US-based firm ETS Europe to run the tests this year.

Government sources have questioned whether he can survive the furore. He has been ordered to send a copy of his contract of employment to MPs on the Commons schools select committee which is investigating the crisis. Half a million children could be forced to take English and maths tests again next term. Secondary school teachers are expected to make new arrivals take a series of fresh tests because they have no confidence in the accuracy of the SATS.

Now it would be wrong of anybody to begrudge Ken Boston his wonderful remuneration package and perhaps we’ll soon find out whether it is with him personally or with an offshore company and whether Dr. Boston is one of that curious non taxpaying race from a different planet, the Non-Doms? There is obviously no need for concern by Gordon Brown here, or even the Deputy Chancellor Alistair Darling, for obviously, unlike greedy teaching assistants and cleaners lording it up on their 2.5% wage increase, Dr. Boston’s salary does not contribute to inflation? And I’ve no doubt that the Chief Examiner’s tax affairs will stand scrutiny and he contributes fully on his generous salary and extensive tax payer funded Benefits in Kind to Her Majesty’s Revenue as would any other PAYE employee, such as his cleaning lady. I cannot imagine it would be otherwise as I know HMRC are scrupulous in enforcing the IR35 provisions to ensure individual’s don’t use contrivances to avoid paying their fair share of tax and National Insurance.

No, the only nagging doubt I have is this, was it not possible to find ONE other person with Ken Boston’s wonderfully proven talents within the European Economic Area as required under the quaint and arcane procedures of British Immigration law? I’m embarrassed to be expressing these doubts for of course these laws were never expected to apply to good chaps with the right skin colour from the Dominions? I’m sure all that immigration stuff is in order and we will be spared the appalling vista of a government which was employing illegal aliens as security guards in the Home Office having to prosecute itself for breaching its own draconian immigration laws. Let’s face it, applying the law equally is only meant to be for the “little people” not for “one of their own.” No, put these thoughts out of your mind I’m sure all is above board!

As for Doctor Ken, Gd on ya Mate in getting yourself one Bonzer Deal! Keep stuffing it Mate to those Whinging Poms!!

Original on Blogger;

http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2008/07/examine-examiner.html

David Caldwell