HC Deb 08 November 1971 vol 825 cc624-5
12. Mr. Ellis

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the 23 teachers in Wales who in October, 1970, had received training in educational counselling, and the 13 teachers then on secondment attending counselling courses, are now in a full-time post of school counsellor, in a part-time post, or not counselling at all, respectively.

Mr. Peter Thomas:

Full information on all these teachers is not available. But I understand that local education authorities in Wales currently employ four teachers as full-time school counsellors and 26 as part-time counsellors.

Mr. Ellis:

In view of the 311 secondary schools which, I understand, now exist in Wales, is this not a deplorable state of affairs, and is not the progress made since last March very bad? Will the Secretary of State consider sending out a memorandum to local education authorities urging the importance of full staffing in this branch of education?

Mr. Thomas:

I agree that there is room for improvement, but a great deal of advice and many publications are already available. The deployment of trained counsellors rests with local education authorities.