§ Mr. David Youngasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the pupil-teacher ratio nationally and within all the education authorities in the North-West in (a) primary and (b) secondary education; and if he proposes to take any measures which would utilise unemployment to reduce the size of classes.
§ Dr. Boysonthe most recent available information relates to January 1980. This was published in the Department's statistical bulletin 17/80, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member.
It is for individual local education authorities to decide how many teachers to employ within the resources available to them. The Government's expenditure plans provide for overall staffing standards to be broadly maintained.