§ Mr. Shepherdasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether any county councils have been given an extension of time in which to submit or resubmit their proposals concerning teacher training under the requirements of Circular 7/73; and, if so, which ones and for how long the extension has been granted in each case.
§ Mr. PrenticeCircular 7/73 did not prescribe any timetable for the submission of proposals by the new local education authorities taking office in April 1974. It is, however, important that the majority of the colleges of education should have their futures settled by the summer when the intakes to initial teacher training at individual institutions in 1976 will have to be determined. Continuing uncertainty about the future can only be harmful to efficiency and to morale in the institutions concerned.
§ Dr. Hampsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much capital and recurrent expenditure it is estimated will be saved by reducing the teacher training capacity outside the universities to 60,000 places.
§ Mr. PrenticeThere are at present about 115,000 teacher training places outside the universities. A reduction in the number to about 60,000 would make available for other educational purposes recurrent expenditure of about £65 million per annum at 1974 survey prices. This figure includes student support costs. Our latest estimate is that about 50,000 of the places no longer required for teacher training will continue in use for other higher and further education purposes. Although it is very difficult to make a firm estimate, the capital expendi-280W ture required to provide this number of places might be about £175 million, again at 1974 survey prices.