HC Deb 12 February 1976 vol 905 cc343-4W
Mrs. Wise

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers are unemployed and seeking teaching posts.

Miss Joan Lestor

In December 1975, 3,812 unemployed school teachers and 1,260 unemployed teachers seeking posts in higher and further education, including the universities, were recorded at employment offices in England and Wales.

Mrs. Wise

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether any men are teaching in infant schools or infant departments; and what is the policy of his Department on the employment of men as infant teachers.

Miss Joan Lestor

In January 1975 there were over 300 men teaching in maintained infant schools and departments in England and Wales and nearly 2,100 teaching in first schools, most of which cater for pupils not above the age of 9. There may also have been some men teaching the younger pupils in all-through primary schools. The appointment of teachers in these schools rests with local education authorities or managers, who will need to bear in mind the provisions of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.

Mrs. Wise

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers are currently employed in primary schools; and how many of these are men.

Miss Joan Lestor

On 30th September 1975 there were about 217,000 teachers, including the full-time equivalent of part-time teachers, employed in primary schools, of whom about 48,000 were men.

Mrs. Wise

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers commenced appointments in primary schools at the beginning of the current school year; and how many are (i) men and (ii) women.

Miss Joan Lestor

It is estimated that about 2,000 men and about 10,000 women took up their first full-time teaching appointments in the maintained primary schools in England and Wales at the beginning of the current school year.