§ Mr. AlisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has made of the optimum number of new mathematics teachers required in Britain for(a) the year 1987–88, (b) 1992–93 and (c) 1997–98; how many properly qualified maths teachers were actually recruited in 1987–88; and what actual recruitment is predicted for 1992–93 and 1997–98.
§ Mrs. RumboldInformation is given for England only. The supply of teachers in Wales and in Scotland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland. The Department estimates that about 600 newly qualified secondary mathematics teachers entered service in 1987–88. This is some 15 per cent. short of the number planned. The Government have introduced a range of special measures to attract more teachers to the secondary shortage subjects, including mathematics. For the years 1992–93 and 1997–98 the need for and supply of mathematics teachers for secondary schools will have to be weighed against the demands of mathematics within the national curriculum. It is too early to come to precise estimates for particular subjects.
On the future supply of newly qualified teachers, my right hon. Friend announced on 19 January, at column 629, the timetable for bringing forward proposals for intakes to initial teacher training institutions for the year 1990 and for the period 1991–93.