HC Deb 12 June 1958 vol 589 c394
26. Mr. G. Longden

asked the Minister of Education if he will now make a statement about the steps he is taking to increase the supply of teachers.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

Yes, Sir. Recruitment to the teaching profession continues to be very good, but recent losses have been unexpectedly high. In any case more teachers will be needed in the 1960s as a result of the higher birth rate and the increasing number of children staying on at school after the age of 15. I have therefore asked the training colleges to take emergency steps to admit as many additional students as they can this year and next. I have also put in hand the first instalment of a permanent expansion. These measures should enable the colleges to train about a thousand extra teachers a year after the introduction of the three-year course. I shall consider what further expansion is likely to be needed when I have the advice of the National Advisory Council for the Training and Supply of Teachers.

Mr. Longden

I thank my right hon. Friend for that answer. Is he aware that this will generally be considered a very satisfactory and positive step along what will be a long road?

Mr. M. Stewart

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his Answer will give considerable, if rather delayed, satisfaction to those of my hon. Friends who have been asking for this for some years? Can he say whether it is also proposed to try to get an increased supply of graduate teachers from the universities?

Mr. Lloyd

We shall certainly consider that, and, of course, the rising numbers of graduates will assist very much in that direction.