§ Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teachers of mathematics and science he expects to recruit from the training colleges for the opening of the 1956–57 school session.
§ Mr. J. StuartThe total new staff available for teaching these subjects will be approximately 200. Nineteen men and seven women from the training colleges with first or second class Honours degrees in mathematics or science will be available for service in the schools at the beginning of session 1956–57. The men concerned will be exempted from National Service. About 25 other similarly qualified men, who will finish their National Service by the beginning of next session will also be 76W available. In addition, 64 women, whose university courses included two years of mathematics or science and who are regarded as qualified to teach these subjects to junior secondary pupils, will be leaving the training colleges and entering teaching service. Most of the 87 similarly qualified men who will finish their teacher training this year will have to do National Service, but a corresponding number of men will finish their National Service and begin teaching next session.
§ Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many vacancies for teachers of mathematics and science occurred owing to death, retirement, promotion, or departure from the teaching profession during 1955–56 and how many of these vacancies have been filled by qualified teachers.
§ Mr. J. StuartAccording to the annual staffing returns made by education authorities in October, 1955, they had in their employment at that time 4,514 certificated teachers of mathematics or science, excluding retired re-employed teachers. No precise figures are yet available, but it is estimated on past experience that in the current year the number of vacancies due to the causes mentioned will be 190. There is no reason to suppose that the vacancies that have arisen have not been filled by qualified teachers, though some posts to which the authorities would have wished to appoint honours graduates will have been filled by ordinary graduates whose university courses have included two years' study of mathematics or science.