§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers he now expects to be made redundant during 1982–83; what percentage these will constitute of the total number of teachers currently employed in the State system; and what is his latest estimate of the cost of redundancy payments.
§ Dr. BoysonDecisions about teacher redundancies are for the local education authorities as employers. The Government's plans make provision for an increase in the level of early retirements, in line with present trends, and for some redundancy among teachers. The number of redundancies which they make will depend on local circumstances, including the rate of natural wastage among their teachers and the scope for redeployment and early retirement. The Government's expenditure plans for 1982–83 include an additional £20 million to assist with the contraction of school teacher numbers.