§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish figures showing the changes in the number of teaching and non-teaching staff employed by local education authorities compared with pupils and student numbers for each year since 1954; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Keith JosephReadily available figures about the numbers of teaching and non-teaching staff employed by local education authorities, together with indices of pupil and student numbers, are set out in the table. They show that from 1953 to 1960 full-time teaching staff increased by 25 per cent. and full-time non-teaching staff increased by 24 per cent.; part-time teaching and non-teaching employees increased by 46 and 55 per cent., respectively. Over the same period the number of pupils in England increased by 12 per cent. and the number of full-time equivalent students enrolled on courses of advanced and non-advanced further education increased by 45 per cent. From 1961 to 1975 the number of full-time teachers and lecturers in England rose by 75 per cent., with the number of part-time employees increasing by 118 per cent.; the number of full-time non-teaching staff increased by 84 per cent. and part-timers increased by more than 150 per cent. Over this period pupil numbers rose by 29 per cent. while student enrolments nearly doubled.
Three of the Government's major objectives since taking office in 1979 have been to restrain public expenditure in the interests of reducing inflation and revitalising the economy; to improve efficiency in the public sector so that resources may be freed for the wealth-creating sectors of the economy; and to improve the quality of education.
Between June 1979 and June 1983 total full-time equivalent numbers employed in education fell by some 67,500 or over 7 per cent. Non-teaching staff numbers have fallen far more quickly than teaching staff, by 11 per cent. compared to 4 per cent, with the effect that the full-time equivalent ratio of teaching to non-teaching staff has improved from 1.33: 1 in 1979 to 1.42: 1 in 1983. At the same time the school age population has been falling steadily, with the result that the pupil-teacher ratio has improved each year and now stands at its best ever level, while numbers of students in further and higher education have continued to rise.
301WIt is important that local education authorities should continue to increase efficiency and, where possible, reduce staff costs and numbers further. But over the last 30 years changes in education provision such as the broadening of the primary school curriculum, the widening of educational opportunities in secondary schools, the raising of the school leaving age and the expansion of advanced and non-advanced further education and increased demands upon and expectations
Year* Full-time Index Part-time Index Total FTE Index Pupils‡ Students║ Lecturers and teachers—England 1953 222,518 100 52,486 100 n/a — 100 100 1960 277,189 125 71,297 136 n/a — 112 145 1965 316,148 142 114,274 218 n/a — 115 213 1970 381,812 172 141,840 270 n/a — 129 263 1975 484,630 218 155,129 296 n/a — 145 318 1979 509,246 229 145,190 277 538,792 100 144 313 1980 506,871 228 141,095 269 536,022 99 141 308 1981 496,495 223 131,221 250 525,157 97 137 324 1982 489,582 220 132,649 253 518,232 96 133 338 1983 485,440 218 137,831 262 514,933 96 129 ¶345 Non-teaching staff—England 1953 60,941 100 55,479 100 n/a — 100 100 1960 75,571 124 86,041 155 n/a — 112 145 1961† 113,227 100 180,027 100 n/a — 100 100 1965 135,017 119 241,539 134 n/a — 102 132 1970 170,094 150 351,662 195 n/a — 115 164 1975 208,739 184 465,408 258 n/a — 129 197 1979 200,525 177 475,844 264 405,792 100 128 194 1980 189,605 167 456,815 254 387,053 95 125 192 1981 178,098 157 444,925 247 370,832 91 122 201 1982 173,174 153 438,856 244 363,442 90 118 210 1983 171,416 151 439,281 244 362,105 89 115 ║215 * Source for figures between 1953 and 1975 Department of Employment Gazette. Source for figures 1975–1983 Joint Manpower Watch. The figures are for June of each year. † School meals service employees included from 1961. ‡ Full-time equivalent numbers of pupils in maintained primary, middle and secondary schools England, for January of each year expressed as index. ║ Estimated full-time equivalent number course enrolments in maintained, assisted and grant-aided establishments of further education England and Wales for November of each year expressed as index. ¶ Estimate