§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps have been taken to increase the supply of teachers for the deaf and speech therapists in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasDuring this period the number of places in two existing training courses for teachers of the deaf has been increased and a new course of 30 students established. The Department is considering the training and supply of teachers among other issues concerning the education of deaf children. Facilities for training speech therapists have also been expanded. Six extra places are available on an existing course in England and a new course for about 20 students has been established in Wales. The recommendations of the Quirk Report about the training and supply of speech therapists are among those being considered by the four Departments concerned.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the average salary for speech therapists; and how this compares with the average salary in the teaching profession;
(2) what is the average salary for teachers of the deaf; and how this compares with the average salary for other teachers.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasAverage salaries paid to speech therapists and to teachers of the deaf are not known. From 1st April 1972 the scales for speech therapists are
Basic Grade—£1,107 to £1,815 plus, where appropriate, London allowance of £126.Senior Grade—£1,554 to £2,079 plus, where appropriate, London allowance of £126.Qualified teachers in special schools for the deaf or in schools or special classes for the partially-hearing are paid on the normal scales but with an additional allowance of £175. Qualified teachers on scale 1 who possess certain 92W special qualifications receive an additional payment of £78, subject to the maximum of the scale not being exceeded.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many speech therapists there are; and how many are exclusively concerned with teaching speech to deaf children.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasThe equivalent of about 900 full-time speech therapists are employed in the education and hospital services in Great Britain. It is doubtful whether any are exclusively concerned with teaching speech to deaf children.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many years' training is required for a qualified teacher of deaf children.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasGraduates and qualified teachers can obtain the specialist qualification for teaching deaf children through one-year full-time courses or by part-time in-service study, normally spread over three years. There is a four-year course of initial training which also leads to a degree and qualified teacher status.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average ratio of teachers to deaf children.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasFor special schools in England in January 1972 the average was 1:6.3 in schools for the deaf and 1:6.6 in schools catering for both deaf and partially hearing pupils.
§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers for the deaf have been recruited for each of the last five years; and how many have left.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasI would refer the hon. Member to my answer on 5th April.—[Vol. 854, c. 135.]