§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he expects the recently announced rate support grant settlement to reduce the number of schools and colleges with too few appropriately qualified staff.
§ Sir Keith JosephThe recently announced rate support grant settlement will permit some further improvement to be made in the pupil: teacher ratio, provided that the teachers' pay settlement is of the order of 3½ per cent. However, it is for local education authorities to determine the size, composition and deployment of their teaching forces. I look to them to secure the best possible match between the qualifications of school staffs and the work to be done; the fact that the supply of newly qualified teachers in most of the subjects in which shortages occur has improved will assist them.