HC Deb 13 February 1964 vol 689 cc550-1
39. Mr. Boyden

asked the Minister of Education how many teachers over 65 years of age are still teaching.

Mr. Chataway

In March 1962, the latest date for which firm figures are at present available, there were 1,108 teachers over the age of 65 in maintained primary and secondary schools, 67 in grant-aided further education establishments, and 21 in teacher training colleges.

Mr. Boyden

Does not the hon. Gentleman agree that this is a pitifully small figure and reflects the failure of the Minister's campaign to retain the older teachers? Would he ask his right hon. Friend to have another look at the Knox Report on the supply of teachers in Scotland, which contained a very strong recommendation that there should be a much greater financial inducement for superannuated teachers?

Mr. Chataway

I am aware of that Report and of the recommendations that are made from time to time on the question of superannuation. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that my right hon. Friend is aware of these problems and is considering how best to increase this number.

Dr. King

Is it not a simple fact that a number of older teachers who have retired now come back part-time because they have no financial inducement to do anything else but part-time teaching? If they had their pension as of right and could earn, they could do the country a very good service at this time.

Mr. Chataway

I do not contest that this may be the case in some instances, but I think that the hon. Gentleman will know that there are difficulties about making a concession to teachers in this matter of the retirement pension in isolation.

40. Mr. Boyden

asked the Minister of Education what plans he has for increasing the number of men teachers in junior schools.

Mr. Chataway

My right hon. Friend's plans for the expansion of the training colleges during the present decade, with their continued emphasis on meeting the staffing needs of the primary schools, will produce a steadily increasing output of men teachers for the junior schools. His National Advisory Council on the Training and Supply of Teachers is at present studying whether it would be desirable and practicable to train proportionately more men than at present.

Mr. Boyden

Does not the Robbins Report and its acceptance by the Government alter the hesitation of the Advisory Council about recruiting and maintaining more places in training colleges for men? Is not this one of the best ways to secure a higher teacher force in view of the wastage of young women?

Mr. Chataway

The problem is much more complex than that. The fact of the matter is that the teaching profession is at the moment undergoing something of a change of sex and the proportion of male teachers is rising very rapidly. The Council is therefore bound to consider what is the maximum proportion of male teachers that is desirable in the profession.