HC Deb 10 May 1978 vol 949 cc527-9W
Mr. Gordon Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how often the National Committee for In-service Training of Teachers has met since its reconstitution; what recommendations have been made; and what has been the practical result of the committee's deliberations.

Mr. McElhone

The National Committee has met five times since its reconstitution. It has made representations to my right hon. Friend about tuition fees for in-service training courses; has commented on the implications for in-service training of the recommendations of the Pack, Munn and Dunning Reports; has published a programme of national courses for 1977–78 and drawn up a programme for 1978–79; and has set up a working group to consider the future development of in-service training.

Mrs. Bain

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce the quota of student intake into each Scottish college of education for session 1978–79; and if he will list in the Official Report the criteria being applied to each college in reaching the final figure.

Mr. McElhone

My right hon. Friend proposes to make a statement shortly about overall levels of intake to courses of teacher training for session 1978–79 the distribution of intake among the colleges of education, and the priority to be given to certain subjects in the selection of students for secondary training.

Mrs. Bain

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of qualified teachers in (a) primary, and (b) secondary fields who are registered as unemployed, at the latest available date.

Mr. McElhone

On 9th March 1978, the latest available date, 577 qualified primary teachers and 369 qualified secondary teachers were registered as unemployed in Scotland.

Mrs. Bain

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the number of teaching staff required by each local education authority in (a) primary, and (b) secondary schools for session 1978–79; and how this compares with session 1977–78.

Mr. McElhone

It is for each education authority to determine its school staffing requirements for session 1978–79 in the light of its own estimates of needs and priorities within its area. The numbers of teachers—expressed in full-time equivalent terms—employed by education authorities in primary and secondary schools at the time of the September 1977 school census are set out below:

Thousands
Authority Primary Secondary
Borders 0.53 0.50
Central 1.57 1.46
Dumfries and Galloway 0.81 0.78
Fife 1.73 1.81
Grampian 2.52 2.47
Highland 1.15 1.08
Lothian 3.66 3.67
Strathclyde 12.17 13.33
Tayside 1.98 2.12
Orkney 0.12 0.11
Shetland 0.15 0.12
Western Isles 0.21 0.21

Mrs. Bain

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of qualified teachers for (a) primary, and (b) secondary schools expected to graduate from Scottish colleges of education at the end of session 1977–78, giving a breakdown per college, and showing how this compares with the actual figures for each of the past five years.

Mr. McElhone

Returns from colleges of education indicate that at the beginning of the current session a total of 3,427 students—1,712 primary and 1,715 secondary—were admitted to one-year courses of teacher training or were embarking on the final year of longer courses. Some of these students may not, however, complete their courses successfully. Figures for each college and the actual figures for each of the past five years are set out below:

Students successfully completing training
1972–73 1973–74 1974–75
College Primary Secondary Primary Secondary Primary Secondary
Aberdeen 343 550 341 421 344 403
Callendar Park 215 261 199
Craigie 192 209 7 181 10
Craiglockhart 114 12 142 14 117 20
Dundee 250 232 242 247 228 224
Dunfermline 154 101 174
Hamilton 265 318 219 71
Jordanhill 466 1,257 472 1,094 414 972
Moray House 424 881 387 836 399 760
Notre Dame 411 153 413 171 319 219
Totals 2,680 3,239 2,785 2,891 2,420 2,853
Students successfully completing training Students in final year
1975–76 1976–77 1977–78
College Primary Secondary Primary Secondary Primary Secondary
Aberdeen 331 388 235 312 208 175
Callendar Park 170 152 131
Craigie 175 11 121 12 120 14
Craiglockhart 130 29 93 29 80 37
Dundee 226 210 145 163 113 105
Dunfermline 168 141 68
Hamilton 254 67 201 73 189 56
Jordanhill 444 1,135 378 923 367 601
Moray House 419 831 337 561 270 411
Notre Dame 300 219 260 218 234 248
Totals 2,449 3,058 1,922 2,432 1,712 1,715