§ Mr. McElhoneasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the pupil-teacher ratio for primary and secondary schools in Scotland for the years 1977, 1978, 1979 and the expected pupil-teacher ratios for 1980 and 1981.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherThe previous Administration's expenditure plans provided for pupil-teacher ratios of 23.3 (primary) and 15.4 (secondary) in 1977–78,672W 22.4(primary) and 15.3 (secondary) in 1978–79 and 22.1 (primary) and 14.8 (secondary) in 1979–80. Similar comparisons in the White Paper "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1980–81", Cmnd. 7746, provision is made for pupil-teacher ratios of 22.0 (primary) and 14.7 (secondary).
§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average percentage change in (a) pupil-teacher ratio and (b) average class size in both primary and secondary schools in Tayside and Scotland over the past three years.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherInformation about pupil-teacher ratios and average class sizes derived from the September 1979 school census is not yet available. Between September 1975 and September 1978 the percentage change in pupil-teacher ratios in primary and secondary schools in Tayside and Scotland was as follows:
Primarypercent Secondary percent Tayside +5.0 -2.4 Scotland -4.5 -3.6 During the same period the percentage change in average class sizes in secondary schools in Tayside and Scotland was 4.7per cent. and 1.0 per cent. respectively. Similar comparisons for primary schools cannot be given because of a change during the period in the method of notifying primary class sizes for statistical purposes.