§ 19. Mrs. Renee Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers who left colleges of education in the summer are still without suitable employment; and how many of these are primary and secondary trained.
§ Mr. Edward ShortExact figures are not available but it is likely that very few newly-qualified teachers who are willing to go where the jobs are can still be without suitable employment and that this applies even to immobile teachers. Further vacancies will, of course, occur in January.
§ Mrs. ShortIs my right hon. Friend aware that his reply will give some satisfaction to those of us who did not believe the propaganda that there would be 5,000 teachers looking for jobs at the beginning of this term? As this may nevertheless have had a slightly depressing effect on recruitment of teachers, will my right hon. Friend continue his efforts to attract more suitable students to the teaching profession, particularly to produce the nursery teachers for the expansion of nursery education which many of us want to see?
§ Mr. ShortI am glad my hon. Friend said that, because the rumours, certainly in many cases malicious, about the number of teachers who would be unemployed both last year and this year, which I said were unfounded and have proved to be so, certainly had an influence on the recruitment of teachers. I hope the fact that all the teachers have obtained jobs this year and last year, and will do so next year, will encourage any young people who want to come into teaching to do so.
§ Mr. Gibson-WattCan the right hon. Gentleman give the figures for Wales?