§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment she has made of teacher shortages in Gloucestershire; what steps she is taking to improve the situation; and if she will make a statement. [29261]
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§ Mr. TimmsInformation on the number of teacher vacancies in local education authorities is collected once a year in January as part of the annual census of teachers and vacancies. In January 2001, the vacancy rate for Gloucestershire was 0.3 per cent. compared with 1.4 per cent. nationally. This amounts to a total of 14 vacancies across the maintained sector. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State set out our longer term proposals for teachers and teaching in a pamphlet, "Professionalism and Trust", published in November 2001.