HC Deb 04 December 1985 vol 88 c255W
Mr. Allen Adams

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make funds available for the in-service training of teachers and social workers in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Allan Stewart

Provision for the in-service training of both teachers and social workers is included in local authorities' rate support grant relevant expenditure, although it is not separately identified.

In addition, so far as teachers are concerned, (i) the full-time equivalent of some 200 academic staff in colleges of education are engaged on in-service training; (ii) in 1984 my right hon. Friend introduced two schemes of assistance towards the expense of teachers attending approved in-service training; the specific grant available under these schemes for the current financial year is £763,000; and (iii) for the financial years 1985–86 and 1986–87 a total of about £2.5 million is available to education authorities in Scotland through the Manpower Services Commission's scheme for in-service training in the field of its technical and vocational education initiative.