§ 39. Mr. Hornbyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science for how many extra children additional school accommodation will be needed as a result of raising the school-leaving age in 1970–71.
§ Mr. CroslandThe number of extra children staying on at school will be about 350,000. It is too early yet to make a final assessment of the number who will need additional accommodation.
§ 40. Mr. Hornbyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the number of teachers required in maintained secondary schools to raise the school-leaving age by one year in 1970–71 without any increase in the average size of classes at that time.
§ Mr. Crosland21,000.
§ Mr. HornbyIs it not becoming increasingly obvious that if this desirable goal of raising the school-leaving age is to be achieved, there will have to be a major acceleration both in the school building programme and in the recruitment of teachers? Will the right hon. Gentleman agree to give the House regular progress reports, perhaps in the form of a White Paper, telling us what steps he proposes to take to make this policy possible?
§ Mr. CroslandI would certainly be very happy to give the House regular reports on this subject. The hon. Gentle- 1530 man spoke of the acceleration of the building programme. For this reform there will be an extra building programme of no less than £100 million. Teacher recruitment is now going ahead faster than ever before.