§ Baroness Davidasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many officials of Principal and higher rank there are at the DES and how many of them have had experience of teaching in maintained schools and establishments of further education.
§ Baroness YoungOn 1st January 1981 there were 134 officials in the Department of Education and Science in the administration grades of Principal and higher rank. Precise information is not readily available on the second part of the Question but, of this number, at least 12 have had experience of teaching622WA in maintained schools and establishments of further education.
On the same date there were 414 members of Her Majesty's Inspectorate in England, to whom administrators look for professional advice. Regard is had to qualifications and teaching experience when recruiting candidates to Her Majesty's Inspectorate and in their subsequent deployment. Their collective qualifications and experience reflect the range of work they are called upon to inspect in maintained and non-maintained schools and establishments. It follows that the great majority of Her Majesty's inspectors will have taught in the maintained sector before recruitment.
House adjourned at twenty-two minutes before seven o'clock.