§ Mr. Cormackasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many of the students who left colleges of education in the summer of 1976, having successfully completed their studies, had not taken up teaching posts by 1st May 1977.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonI regret that this information is not available. However, of the estimated 40,000 newly qualified teachers who left teacher training institutions in 1976, 22,675 had taken up appointments in maintained nursery, primary or secondary schools by 31st 253W January 1977. The number who obtained posts at the beginning of the summer term or in other sectors of education is not known.
§ Mr. Cormackasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students are expected to leave colleges of education in the summer of 1977 having successfully completed their courses.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsThe number of students expected to leave all types of teacher training establishments in the summer of 1977, having successfully completed courses of initial training, is 36,500. It is not possible to estimate the figure for colleges of education only.
§ Mr. Cormackasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many notified teaching vacancies existed in (a) primary, (b) secondary schools in each of the education authorities of England and Wales on 1st May 1977; and how many of these were suitable for newly qualified teachers.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonMy Department does not collect detailed or complete information on the number of teaching vacancies. Local education authorities are however invited to inform my Department if there are any types of teaching post for which they would welcome more applicants and this information is circulated to the teacher training institutions in June each year.
§ Mr. Cormackasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will take steps to allow newly qualified teachers to complete their probationary year in independent schools recognised by the Department as efficient.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonNo: it is already open to the employing local education authority, when a teacher takes up his first appointment in a maintained school, to recommend waiver or reduction of probation by reason of satisfactory service in an independent school and such a recommendation is normally accepted by the Department.
§ Mr. Cormackasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will consider taking steps or make it possible for newly qualified but unem- 254W ployed teachers who are in receipt of unemployment benefit to work in a voluntary capacity in schools and for two years of such service to be reckoned as the equivalent of the probationary year's service.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonNo. I am writing to the hon. Member to amplify my reasons for this decision.