§ 54. Mr. Stan Thorneasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he proposes to take in the near future to improve the supply of teachers of civic affairs.
§ Mr. Chris PattenCivic affairs is not identified separately as a main subject for the purposes of initial teacher training allocations, although it is possible that some training courses with the main subject in history or social studies will include some specific reference to this area. My right hon. Friend has no evidence to suggest that the demand for teachers in these latter subjects is not being met. More generally, it is now a requirement of initial training courses of all kinds that they should give students a basic understanding of the society in which their pupils are growing up.