§ 24. Mr. Boydenasked the Minister of Education how many teachers over the age of 65 are currently teaching in local authority schools; and how this number compares with those on a comparable date in 1959.
§ Sir D. EcclesIn March of last year, 1,048 teachers aged 65 and over were teaching in maintained primary and secondary schools. The corresponding figure for 1959 was 1,429.
§ Mr. BoydenThis is very unsatisfactory. Cannot the right hon. Gentleman induce his colleagues in the Treasury to provide some financial inducement for teachers over 65—or, perhaps, a substantial pensions inducement—because this is one of the sources, for the time being, anyway, from which we might get people to stay on.
§ Sir D. EcclesIt is not very clear why the numbers have fallen and I am looking into that matter, but I think it is generally recognised in the House that abatement of pensions on account of earnings is a subject on which there is a general principle throughout the public service and we could not make an exception for teachers.