On 13 September, the Conservative Party announced the make-up of its new shadow cabinet which will work under new party leader Ian Duncan-Smith.

Those responsible for shadowing Estelle Morris's Department for Education and Skills are:

Shadow Secretary of State: Damian Green MP (MP for Ashford)
Frontbench Spokespersons: Graham Brady MP, Alistair Burt MP, Mrs Eleanor Laing MP
Representatives in the House of Lords: The Rt Hon The Baroness Blatch CBE, The Baroness Miller of Hendon

Formerly a finance and business journalist, Damian Green has previously worked within the Policy Unit for Environment, Local Government, Housing, Agriculture and Media policy, and was a member of the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, before being appointed Shadow Front Bench Spokesman for Education and Employment in June 1998 for a year.

Both Graham Brady and Eleanor Laing have served on the Education and Employment Select Committee. Eleanor Laing has also been Opposition whip with responsibility for Education and Employment.

The Liberal Democrats shadow cabinet has Dr Vincent Cable MP with responsibility for Education and Skills, supported by Phil Willis MP and David Rendel MP.

Dr Cable lectured at Glasgow University in economics before joining the Diplomatic Service. Phil Willis qualified as a teacher in 1963 and went on to teach in a number of posts in Leeds, taking a particular interest in multi-cultural education and outreach youth work.