HC Deb 16 June 1966 vol 729 c1645
40. Mr. Arnold Shaw

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will introduce legislation to impose a staffing quota on schools in the Private sector.

Mr. Redhead

No, Sir.

Mr. Shaw

Because of the disparity of the teacher-pupil ratio between private and public schools, would not my right hon. Friend agree that it is inequitable that the schools in the private sector have recourse to so many teachers who have been trained at public expense?

Mr. Redhead

I have a great deal of sympathy with my hon. Friend's point of view, but there are a number of serious practical difficulties in applying a quota to the staffing of independent schools. My right hon. Friend feels that it would be appropriate to await the views of the Public Schools Commission on the whole question of integrating public schools with the maintained system of education before dealing with this point.