§ 23. Mr. J. E. B. Hillasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what studies his Department has made of 570 the relationship between teacher productivity and the supply and renewal of books and other teaching equipment in the schools.
§ Mr. Edward ShortNone, Sir.
§ Mr. HillWill the right hon. Gentleman reconsider that decision, since the provision of books and other equipment enables significant improvements in quality to be maintained in schools, and at the same time they are peculiarly vulnerable to the pressure on local education authorities to reduce their expenditure? Will the right hon. Gentleman ensure that they do not suffer undue cuts?
§ Mr. ShortThe Question relates to teacher productivity. If the hon. Gentleman will tell me how to measure it I shall look at it to see whether I can do anything about it.
§ 25. Mr. Molloyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what effects the limitations on local authority expenditure are having on teacher supply and employment, the engagement of part-time teachers, and the employment of newly qualified teachers; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Edward ShortI have seen no effect on the employment of full-time qualified teachers, including the newly qualified. In terms of full-time equivalents, there were on 1st October, 1968, about 1,200 more part-timers than on 1st October, 1967. There has however been a slight reduction in the rate of recruitment. I cannot say how far this change is due to financial considerations and how far to employers' preference for full-timers, when available.
§ Mr. MolloyWould not my right hon. Friend agree that these limitations on local government expenditure ought to be reviewed constantly to avoid the peradventure of their having a deleterious effect on other parts of my right hon. Friend's programme, namely, the recruitment of teachers, both part-time and straight from our colleges?
§ Mr. ShortI agree with my hon. Friend. I think that this needs watching carefully, but I must point out what I pointed out before, that in negotiating the rate support grant for the coming two years we did not reduce the estimate of 571 the number of teachers required by local authorities. We accepted their figures, and the money to employ that number of teachers was made available.
§ 26. Mr. Molloyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of new teachers he estimates will emerge from universities and colleges of education in September; if these will meet the demands of local education authorities; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Edward ShortI estimate that about 29,000 newly-trained teachers will be seeking first appointments in September in maintained primary and secondary schools. I expect this number to match fairly closely local education authorities' demands for additional teachers and to meet normal wastage.
§ Mr. MolloyIs my right hon. Friend aware that many of the teaching organisations, National Union of Teachers, and so on, are apprehensive about the development of this aspect of his policy? Does not my right hon. Friend think it would be worth while holding a conference in the near future to examine the details of what might transpire in the future, to see that we do not make a grievous error?
§ Mr. ShortThere is to be a meeting on Monday next between my officials, the teachers, and the local authorities, on this and similar matters. Similar fears were expressed in 1968. In the event, in September last year there was no unemployment. What I am saying now is that if local authorities employ all the teachers they have said they will employ there will be no unemployment among teachers in September of this year, either.