HC Deb 26 June 1947 vol 439 cc672-3
38 and 44. Mrs. Leah Manning

asked the Minister of Education (1) whether he is aware that, in terms of men and women teachers required, there will be 11,500 too many men and 9,000 too few women in 1951; how this disproportion has arisen; and what' steps he is taking to remedy the situation;

(2) if he has considered the statement made by Dr. Alexander on behalf of the Association of Education Committees to the effect that, unless the school building programme is materially speeded-up, a substantial proportion of the teachers due to be trained during the period 1946–52 cannot be employed; and what steps he proposes to take to meet this situation.

Mr. Hardman

My attention has been drawn to the statement to which my hon. Friend refers. I should not like to be regarded as committed to the figures quoted by my hon. Friend, but I agree that the increase in the establishment of teachers needed for carrying out the programme of educational reform is likely to be secured more rapidly for men than for women. This is because the increase on the men's side is being secured to a larger extent than on the women's from emergency as distinct from normal training. My right hon. Friend will shortly be discussing with representatives of the local education authorities and of the teachers these and other matters affecting future staffing policy.

Mrs. Manning

Can my hon. Friend give any assurance to these men who, it is asserted, are in excess of requirements, that they will find posts for them when they come out of the training colleges; and could my hon. Friend answer the other part of my Question in regard to how this disproportion has arisen when it has been pointed out to the Ministry over and over again that they were not training enough women?

Mr. Hardman

In regard to the second part of the supplementary, I would say that we are aware that the implementation of the Act of 1944 requires a very large number and a great variety of educationally trained people, men and women, and we are not prepared to admit that the trained personnel who come from the present schemes will be in excess of our general requirements.

Mr. Frank Byers

Upon what size of class is the total number of teachers based? If there is a surplus of teachers, will my hon. Friend use that surplus to reduce the size of classes as far as possible?

Mr. Hardman

The whole question is being investigated. There is an important committee of the Ministry which is going into all these matters and, as I have said, we are consulting the local authorities and the various teachers organisations. We intend that everything shall be' done as quickly as possible to; have the teachers available for a drastic reduction in the size of classes in both primary and secondary schools.