§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement further to his correspondence with the hon. Member for Basildon on measures designed to assist towards ending the teacher shortage in Basildon.
§ Mr. ArmstrongI understand that vacancies for secondary school teachers in Essex have been reduced to 85, of which 16 are in Basildon. Recruitment should be helped by the agreement on London weighting, whereby teachers in Basildon will receive an allowance of £141 per annum with effect from 1st April 1974, and by any improvement in salaries which may result from the forthcoming report of the committee of inquiry into teachers' pay.