§ Mrs. Dunwoodyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will issue guidance to local authorities concerning the date within the school year of appointment of new teaching staff in the light of the effect on both newly qualified teachers, and on the quality of the teaching staff of the practice adopted in Cheshire to delay the appointment of new teaching staff from April until August.
§ Mr. OakesIt is for local authorities to decide on the timing of their teacher recruitment programmes. I understand that the Cheshire education committee has now rescinded its earlier decision to delay recruitment until August and, since no other authority is known to have adopted this procedure, it would be inappropriate to offer general guidance on this particular aspect of the subject.