Published: Just now
The new education minister Lotta Edholm (L) caused some surprise at the Riksdag’s question time.
She refused to answer questions from members of parliament about private school groups and profit taking in schools.
In connection with Lotta Edholm being appointed as education minister, it was revealed that she was then on the board of the listed school group Tellusgruppen, where she also owned shares worth just over SEK 90,000.
Because of the handling of it and the fact that she said that the Social Democratic government did nothing about the problems with profits in the school, she was reported to KU by the Social Democrats.
The voters or the market?
When the Riksdag held its first question session with ministers in the new government, Lotta Edholm received questions from several members about whether she represents the interests of the voters or the market.
– I am KU registered and therefore not allowed to answer any questions about this now, she chose to answer.
An answer she repeated several times.
– With all due respect, we cannot have it like this, that one of the Riksdag’s control tools, KU, is used as an argument for disrespecting another of the Riksdag’s control tools, namely the opportunity to ask questions in the chamber every Thursday, said one of the questioners Camilla Hansén (MP).
– Is there anything we can ask about the government’s and the Liberals’ school policy before June, when KU is finished? she asked.
– I have great respect for the Riksdag’s constitutional committee and therefore choose not to comment on this, replied Lotta Edholm (L).
Several reacted
Afterwards, several members reacted to this.
– We cannot have an education minister in Sweden’s government who cannot comment on school policy because she received a KU notification that deals with her independence from the independent school sector, said the Social Democrats’ group leader Lena Hallengren (S).
Lotta Edholm herself assured that she will answer questions about the school policy, but that she felt a little unsure.
– I interpreted it to mean that the questions were connected to my previous involvement in the Tellus Group. But I also honestly think it’s a little difficult to know exactly where these boundaries are, but it’s better to be a little careful than the other way around, she told TT.