§ Mr. Peter Emeryasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that the work of a school-teacher should be a full-time or part-time occupation.
§ Mr. CroslandIt is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that as many teachers as possible should be recruited for the schools, both full-time and part-time. The supply of full-time teachers from the rapidly expanding colleges of education and from other sources is increasing every year. Part-time teachers are making a substantial and growing contribution to the staffing of the maintained schools; their numbers have risen by more than 5,000 in the last year to about 32,400, the equivalent of nearly 16,000 full-time teachers. It continues to be my policy to promote this growth of opportunities for part-time teaching service, particularly as a means of facilitating the return to service of married women teachers, many of whom are unable to offer full-time service when they first resume teaching.