HC Deb 24 February 1971 vol 812 cc565-6
30. Mr. MacArthur

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what further study he proposes to make of the secondary teacher shortage in 1972–73.

Mr. Edward Taylo

My right hon. Friend's Department is currently engaged on studies of staffing needs.

The main purpose of these investigations is to establish more objective standards for determining the numbers of teachers needed by different types and sizes of secondary school.

Mr. MacArthur

Is my hon. Friend aware that the estimates of the shortage grow larger and larger and that part-time education in Scotland has now reached alarming proportions? Does he consider it educationally wise to raise the school-leaving age throughout Scotland in these circumstances?

Mr. Taylor

As my hon. Friend is aware, the problem, though serious, is concentrated largely in several areas. This is a major problem, but I can assure my hon. Friend that we are conscious of the need to recruit more teachers and are taking all possible steps we can.

Mr. Rankin

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that in 1946 the Labour Government, faced with teaching conditions infinitely worse than those faced by the present Government, raised the school-leaving age? Will the Tory Government, when they face the issue in far better circumstances, ensure that the school-leaving age goes up to 16?

Mr. Taylor

We have already said that it is the Government's intention to proceed with the arrangements for raising the school-leaving age on the due date. But I do not accept criticism from the Labour Party, bearing in mind the very severe teacher shortage which the Labour Government left this Administration.

Mr. Buchan

Would not the hon. Gentleman agree that the best single thing which he could do to guarantee that we recruited the kind of teacher we require would be to give the House an assurance today that Scottish teachers will not be put on the chopping block, as the Government have done to every other public servant in recent wage negotiations? I hope that he will not follow the lead given by his right hon. Friend in leaning on the local authorities. Such a guarantee would go a long way towards helping the situation in Scottish schools.

Mr. Taylor

I assure the hon. Gentleman that it is the Government's policy to ensure that there is fairness in all our dealings with everyone. I hope that our general policy will be infinitely better than the shambles which the previous Government left us.