§ 28. Dr. Summerskillasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will withdraw Circular 8/60, in order to enable all local education authorities to provide as many nursery schools as they consider to be necessary.
§ Mr. CroslandNo, Sir. We still cannot afford to divert teachers from older children. But I am considering what more can be done to extend nursery provision where this will enable more married women teachers with young children to return to service.
§ Dr. SummerskillWould not my right hon. Friend agree that this discriminates unfairly in favour of married women teachers against the children of women who wish to return to medicine, science or nursing, where they are badly needed?
§ Mr. CroslandI am aware of this consideration, but I simply must give priority at the moment to married women returners in view of the desperate shortage of teachers in our primary and secondary schools.
§ Mr. OgdenWould my right hon. Friend agree that under the previous Administration local education authorities were told that nursery school buildings might be provided if they found the teachers but that they could not find the teachers until they had the buildings? Will my right hon. Friend be bold in this matter, provide the buildings and then allow the local education authorities to provide the teachers? Will he try some experiments?
§ Mr. CroslandI could not commit myself to that suggestion but, as I said, I am not satisfied with the way in which this concession is working. I should like both to make the existing concession more effective and, if possible, to widen it somewhat.