HC Deb 14 May 1964 vol 695 cc589-91
26. Mr. Lubbock

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will take steps to encourage the reorganisation of teacher duties in order to make it possible for more trained married women to undertake part-time teaching.

The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science (Mr. Christopher Chataway)

The organisation of teaching duties is a matter I must leave to the schools themselves and the employing authorities. My Department is, however, studying the recruitment and employment policies of those authorities with a high proportion of part-time teachers and it will certainly publicise successful practice wherever this is found.

Mr. Lubbock

Does the hon. Gentleman recognise that in the questionnaire which married teachers answered as a result of the Kelsoe Committee inquiry, more than one quarter of both pre-war and post-war teachers said that a rearrangement of the time-table and more part-time posts were factors which would induce them to return to teaching?

Mr. Chataway

My right hon. Friend is well aware of both those factors, and I would not deny that it is extremely important that schools should adjust themselves to a greater number of part-timers, a point which my noble Friend the Minister of State stressed in another place the other day.

Dr. King

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that part-time teachers are a necessary evil, but that schools have difficulty in adjusting their programmes to part-time teachers? It would be a mistake radically to alter the work of our schools on the assumption that we are to have part-time teachers for all time.

Mr. Chataway

There is a great variation between areas and between schools in the success with which they modify to part-time teachers, but if all can follow the practice of the best, undoubtedly the teacher supply position will be eased.

27. Mr. Lubbock

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further steps he proposes to take to encourage married women to return to the teaching profession.

Mr. Chataway

The national publicity campaign which began on 13th April has been well supported by local education authorities. My right hon. Friend proposes to see the response to this before deciding the next steps.

Mr. Lubbock

Would not it be a good thing to have a debate on the Kelsoe Report at some time?

Mr. Chataway

That is hardly a question for me.

Mrs. Emmet

Will my hon. Friend impress on his right hon. Friend that one of the best ways of recruiting further married women to the teaching profession—and indeed other professional women—is to alter the basis of taxation of married couples?

Mr. Chataway

My hon. Friend will be aware that since the Surtax levels were raised it is only a minority of wives who would be likely to be in an extremely unfavourable position as a result of being employed.

Mrs. White

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether local authorities are being encouraged to appoint someone on their staff especially to study the problems of potential married women teachers in their areas, and to give advice where necessary?

Mr. Chataway

I do not know of any particular appointments of that kind by local authorities, but I shall bear that suggestion in mind.