HC Deb 28 June 1967 vol 749 cc502-4
30. Mr. Edward M. Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is now taking to deal with the shortage of teachers, particularly in Glasgow.

Mr. Ross

In the course of a full exchange of views with representatives of the education authority on 16th June, I indicated the progress that was being made in improving the supply of teachers generally, and suggested a number of measures which the authority might-itself consider taking to improve the position in those schools where staffing is most difficult.

Mr. Taylor

Is the Secretary of State not aware that Glasgow has one-fifth of the school population of Scotland, but has one-third of the teacher shortage and two-thirds of those children on part-time education? Is he not ashamed of himself for having sat on the Roberts Committee's Report for over a year? Is he really surprised that the Glasgow Corporation should have deplored his inaction? When are we to have some action?

Mr. Ross

One of the troubles with the hon. Gentleman is that he does race on. We have had this position in Glasgow for a very long time. He will appreciate that the problem in respect of the Roberts Report is not as easy and simple as he suggests. He will remember that in 1963 his own party, then the Government, passed regulations to deal with this and they were thrown out by the teachers because they applied only to Glasgow. The teacher shortage is not purely a Glasgow problem. What we are dealing with in that respect is the failure in the past to get an increasing number of people to enter the teaching profession.

The hon. Gentleman will be glad to know that in the past four years the numbers entering the teaching profession have increased from 2,409 a year to 3,051 and that by 1970 we expect it to rise to 4,700.

Mr. Manuel

Shot down again!

Mr. Woodburn

Would the right hon. Gentleman give us some idea as to how far closed-circuit television, which I gather has been a great success, is helping to solve this problem in Glasgow?

Mr. Ross

It helps to improve the learning of children, but does not do away with the need for the good teacher. It merely helps the teacher but does not replace him. We have introduced a three-year diploma course for men, gone on with the special recruitment scheme, with very considerable success, made improvements to bring married women back and expanded the training colleges. This shows that we have not been inactive.

Mr. Younger

Is the Secretary of State trying to make us believe that the teaching profession would not now accept the implementation of the Roberts Report? Why has he sat on this for so long?

Mr. Ross

I have not sat on it at all. The hon. Gentleman should know that we have been discussing this with the people who have to administer it and implement it. He should not take it for granted that there is unanimous support for this—far from it.

Mr. Dalyell

Is it premature to comment on the progress of the three-year diploma course for men, particularly in relation to those who are likely to teach in Roman Catholic schools, where there is, perhaps, the greatest shortage?

Mr. Ross

We are only starting in the next session, but it is interesting to know that we have had 500 applicants.