§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has concerning the shortage of key teachers in particular education authorities; and what action he is proposing to ensure that they are enabled to discharge their statutory obligations.
§ Mr. Allan StewartThe latest published information on deficits and surpluses of secondary teachers analysed by subject and by education authority area, giving the position at September 1984, is contained in the Scottish Education Department's statistical bulletin No. 4/C1/1985 299W of September 1985, a copy of which was sent to the hon. Member. Information from the September 1985 school census, based on 80 per cent. returns, indicates a broadly similar picture. Following discussions earlier this year with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the General Teaching Council and the Joint Committee of Colleges of Education in Scotland in the context of determining intakes to teacher training at the colleges of education for session 1986–87, mathematics, physics, business studies, chemistry, computing and religious education were designated as national priority subjects for intake purposes; quota restrictions were wait completely in respect of the first three of these priority subjects.