§ Mr. Cordleasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in order to assist local authorities in reducing rate increases, the whole cost and annual salary increments awarded to teachers' and other linked salaries which were the subject of the Houghton Report and the Salisbury Committee of the Joint National Negotiating Committee on salary scales and service conditions for inspectors, organisers and advisory officers of local education authorities, will be borne by central Government.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonNo. My right hon. Friend has in any case no powers to do so.
§ Mr. Cordleasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the recognised period of holiday allowed to primary school teachers in full-time employment with local education authorities;
161W(2) what is the recognised period of holiday allowed to teachers and secondary school teachers in the full-time employment of local education authorities.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonProvisions relating to holidays, along with other conditions of service, are matters for negotiation between employing local authorities and their teachers' representatives, and are not laid down by my Department.
§ Mr. Edgeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers were in service in maintained schools in England and Wales at the beginning of the current school year; what were the corresponding figures in 1975; how many newly qualified teachers obtained posts in September 1976; and what were the pupil-teacher rates in primary and secondary schools.
§ Mrs. Shirley Williams457,279 teachers, including the full-time equivalent of part-time teachers, were employed in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England and Wales in September 1976, an increase of about 4,700 over the corresponding figure for September 1975 of 452,564. It is estimated that of about 39,500 newly qualified teachers who successfully completed courses of teacher training last summer, 19,800 had obtained a post in a maintained primary or secondary school in September; comparable figures for September 1975 were 40,700 and 27,700 respectively. In January 1976 the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools was 23.9 and in secondary schools 17.0 with a ratio of 20.3 overall; it is estimated that in January 1977 the ratios are likely to be 24.0 in primary schools, 16.8 in secondary schools, and 20.2 overall. A more detailed statistical analysis of these topics has been placed in the Library.