§ Mr. Stallardasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are her plans for reconstituting the Advisory Committee on the Supply and Training of Teachers.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsMy consultations on this matter are now complete. I have decided to reconstitute this committee for a further period of five years as the Advisory Committee on the Supply and Education of Teachers. I am grateful to Sir Arthur Armitage for agreeing to continue to act as chairman for an initial period.
The reconstituted committee's terms of reference will be:
To advise the Secretaries of State for Education and Science and for Wales on the development and implementation of national policy for the supply and education of teachers for maintained schools and establishments of further education in England and Wales.The change in the committee's title is made to meet the wishes of a number of members of the former committee and is reflected in the new terms of reference, which also reflect the transfer of certain educational responsibilities to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.I am inviting bodies to nominate members as follows:
Association of County Councils 5 Association of Metropolitan Authorities 4 Welsh Joint Education Committee 1 National Union of Teachers 2 National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education 3 National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers 1 Assistant Masters and Mistresses Association 1 Secondary Heads Association 1 National Association of Head Teachers 1 Association of University Teachers 1 Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals 2 Committee of Directors of Polytechnics 1 Church of England Board of Education 1 Catholic Education Council 1 In addition, the chairman of the Schools Council is being invited to serve 17W ex officio, and I am ready to consider appointing a student member. I shall also continue to appoint a few members directly, and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales will appoint two members directly.