The Ulster Unionist party has spoken out strongly against a bill which is set to lead to the creation of a single education authority for Northern Ireland.

The Department of Education has denied a claim by UUP Ministers Sir Reg Empey and Michael McGimpsey that Caitriona Ruane intends to use the new Education and Skills Authority (ESA) to do away with academic selection “by the back door”.

Last week the Department of Education confirmed that ESA will be set up on January 1, 2010 — a year and nine months later than the original timescale. The announcement came after the first Executive meeting of ministers for almost five months.

Yesterday, Education Minister Caitriona Ruane introduced the first of two bills which will lead to the establishment of the new authority.

ESA will take over from the education boards and will also take on the functions of the Council for Curriculum Examinations and Assessment, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, the Staff Commission and the Youth Council. The UUP’s response to the Minister — which had to be submitted by 5pm on Monday — was that they would not support the bill. Sir Reg and Mr McGimpsey issued a strongly worded joint statement yesterday.

In it they said: “We wish to state categorically that the Ulster Unionist Party strongly objects to the proposals as outlined by the Minister of Education. Indeed we are appalled by the belligerent and dismissive approach that has been adopted.”

UUP education spokesman Basil McCrea said: “We will not be signing up for something just to make up the numbers.

“We will be going through the bill line by line and are not yet convinced it is the right way forward. We are not necessarily against a single authority but there are things in this bill that we are extremely nervous about.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: “Prior to the Minister's statement to the Assembly she addressed issues raised by letter by Ministers Empey and McGimpsey.

“The Education Minister has previously stated that the establishment of ESA will allow for the development of full area-based planning, which will help to plan the schools estate and facilitate schools in their delivery to young people of the Entitlement Framework.

“This process is not directly related to the Minister's proposals for new post-primary transfer arrangements."