§ 33. Mr. Formanasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science for what subject teachers are particularly in short supply; and in which subjects there appears to be a surplus of teachers.
§ Dr. BoysonThere is a serious and persistent shortage of teachers of mathematics, the physical sciences and craft, design and technology. Teachers of business studies, modern languages, music and religious education are also in short supply. There is no clear-cut evidence of the subjects in which there is an overall surplus; apparent national surpluses are often offset by local shortages.
§ 37. Mr. Watsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of newly qualified teachers have obtained employment as teachers in each of the last three years; and in which subjects there is the greatest difficulty in 108W finding teacher employment.
§ Dr. BoysonSurveys carried out by my Department and the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers indicate that the percentages were 60 (for 1977 qualifiers), 69 (for 1978 qualifiers) and 75 (for 1979 qualifiers). These percentages are of those newly qualified teachers—the vast majority—in respect of whom further information about destination became available to the teacher training institutions after their departure. There is no clear cut evidence about the subjects in which there is the greatest difficulty in finding teacher employment; appearent national surpluses are often offset by local shortages.
46. Mr. R. C. Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers he expects will lose their jobs by the end of the current year.
§ Dr. BoysonThis will depend upon decisions taken by individual local authorities, in the light of the rates of wastage from teaching in their areas. The Government believe that the planned reduction of 15,000 teachers in the current year can be achieved without significant redundancies.