HC Deb 08 August 1980 vol 990 cc359-60W
Miss Wright

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the present shortfall in Scotland of qualified schoolteachers in mathematics, physics, chemistry and foreign languages; and if he will estimate what improvement or deterioration he expects in the next year.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

At September 1979, the latest date for which information is available centrally, there were in education authority schools in Scotland net deficits of 104 teachers of mathematics, 75 of physics and 23 of chemistry. There was no net shortage of teachers of modern languages. I am unable to forecast what the position will be in September 1980.