HC Deb 15 January 1971 vol 809 cc159-60W
Mr. Bishop

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many independent schools within the area of the Nottinghamshire County Council area are registered, and how many are recognised as efficient under Rule 16 of the Education Act, 1944; and what action is being taken to ensure efficiency.

Mr. van Straubenzee

In this area there are 25 independent schools of which eight are recognised as efficient. On the second part of the Question, I invite attention to my right hon. Friend's reply yesterday to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for West Flint (Sir A. Meyer).—[Vol. 809, c. 103.]

Mr. Bishop

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many independent schools are now registered, and how many are recognised as being efficient under Rule 16 of the Education Act, 1944; if she will require teachers at such schools to be qualified as required in state schools; and how soon the report of the inquiry started into the working of private schools three years ago may be expected.

Mr. van Straubenzee

There are 2,616 independent schools in England and 79 in Wales of which 1,359 in England and 50 in Wales are recognised as efficient.

Part III of the Education Act, 1944, requires that all independent schools should provide efficient and suitable instruction, and this implies that teachers must have suitable qualifications or experience. But my right hon. Friend does not intend to make it a requirement that teachers in independent schools should hold any particular qualifications.

The inquiry referred to in the Question was made by a previous Minister of State and the report is not available to me.