HC Deb 12 May 1994 vol 243 cc205-7W
Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average number of years in employment as teachers of those with relevant qualifications.

Mr. Robin Squire

The table shows the distribution of qualified teachers in service in England and Wales at 31 March 1992, in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary sector, by their length of teaching service.

Percentage of teachers in service for Primary Type of school Secondary Total
Under 5 21 16 18
5–9 16 16 16
10–14 18 20 19
15–19 20 22 21
20–24 16 15 16
25 and over 9 11 10
Total 100 100 100

Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many teachers have taken early retirement on health grounds in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Robin Squire

The table shows the number of members of the teachers' superannuation scheme who retired on the grounds of ill-health for the financial years 1984–85 to 1993–94. It covers lecturers in further and higher education as well as school teachers.

Financial year Number of infirmity retirements
1984–85 2,449
1985–86 2,698
1986–87 2,707
1987–88 2,545
1988–89 3,423
1989–90 4,192
1990–91 4,938
1991–92 4,662
1992–93 4,897
1993–94 5,535

The 1993–94 figure represents about 1 per cent. of all teachers and lecturers.

Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students have become qualified teachers in each of the last 30 years.

Mr. Robin Squire

I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average cost to public funds of a teacher taking early retirement on health grounds.

Mr. Robin Squire

The average pension and lump sum for a teacher retiring on the grounds of ill health during 1992–93 were £7,909 and £23,723 respectively.

Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many newly qualified teachers entering the profession leave within five years; and what proportion of the total qualifying this is.

Mr. Robin Squire

The data requested are not readily available. However, an analysis produced by the Department suggests that 90 per cent. of newly qualified teachers enter teaching in England and Wales at some point in the five years after qualifying and that 63 per cent. are in service at the five-year point after qualifying. Many of those leaving teaching within five years will return at a later date.

Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many lecturers in further education have relevant teaching qualifications.

Mr. Boswell

The information centrally held on the qualification of FE lecturers is not complete. I will write as soon as possible to the hon. Member with details of the information that is available.

Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many teachers have taken voluntary redundancy in each of the last 10 years;

(2) what is the average cost to public funds of a teacher taking voluntary redundancy.

Mr. Robin Squire

Employers of teachers are not required to inform the Department which teachers seek or acquiesce in dismissal on grounds of redundancy. Information is therefore not available centrally about the numbers of teachers concerned or costs.

Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many newly qualified teachers have not entered the teaching profession in each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Robin Squire

The data requested are not readily available. However, the table shows the destination of teachers qualifying from the university sector in 1993. Further details for the university sector are available from the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers.

Destination, as at December 1993, of teachers completing initial training in the summer of 1993 at universities in England and Wales.
PGCE Degree Total
Obtaining teaching post in United Kingdom 7,467 2,433 9,900
Not seeking a teaching post 710 330 1,040
Seeking a teaching post 772 301 1,073
Not known 1,011 721 1,732
Total successful completers 9,960 3,785 13,745

Source: Universities Council for the Education of Teachers.

Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many teachers are currently employed in local education authority or grant-maintained schools.

Mr. Robin Squire

In January 1993, 396,332 full-time equivalent teachers were employed in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools sector in England, including LEA and self-governing—GM—schools and sixth-form colleges.