§ 39. Mr. Patrick ThompsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to enhance the skills and standing of the teaching profession.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythIt is primarily for education authorities to ensure that the skills of their teaching force are sustained and extended. The Government strongly support programmes that foster professional commitment and provide means to improve qualifications and expertise. To that end, my right hon. and learned Friend established the Scottish committee for staff development in education in 1987 to promote the development of in-service training and to encourage its uptake by the profession. In that year the pay and conditions settlement which followed the teachers' dispute stipulated that five days should be set aside each year for in-service training and up to 50 hours for planned activities. The Government also fund the equivalent of 190 academic staff at colleges of education as a national resource available for the provision of in-service training and for assisting central training programmes. It is also supporting at a cost of £1 million per annum a major new initiative for the management training of headteachers.