§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) 187W whether she will take action under Section 99 of the Education Act 1944 to prevent Nottinghamshire County Council from reducing the number of secondary school teachers in its employment by 69 in 1980–81 and 96 in 1981–82;
(2) whether she will take action under Section 9 of the Education Act 1944 to prevent Nottinghamshire County Council from reducing the number of primary school teachers in its employment by 679 in the next four years.
§ Miss Margaret JacksonThe Secretary of State is able to take action under Section 99 only if she is satisfied that a local education authority has failed to discharge a duty imposed on it or for the purposes of the Act. The Act does not lay down specific criteria for staffing levels, although local education authorities are required to employ teachers suitable and sufficient in number to provide full-time education appropriate to the ages, abilities and aptitudes of their pupils.