§ Mr. Emlyn Hoosonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, how many local education authorities in Wales allow their teaching staff to go on short-and long-term courses during term-time: and how many such authorities provide full expenses to teachers who go on such courses.
§ Mrs. Shirley Williams:The practice adopted by Welsh local education authorities in allowing their teaching staff to attend courses during term-time varies. A number of authorities allow their teachers to go on such courses on their own initiative, but some authorities will permit it only where the authority has nominated the teacher or teachers for the particular course. The subject matter of the course may also be a governing factor. The payment of expenses is at the discretion of the individual authority.
I understand that the Welsh Joint Education Committee recently issued general guidance to local education authorities on these matters, on the assumption that there will be a rapid expansion of in-service training courses and that authorities would wish to encourage teachers to attend such courses.