HC Deb 19 January 1988 vol 125 cc621-2W
31. Mr. Frank Cook

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the proportion of(a) secondary teachers and (b) secondary head teachers who are women; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

In March 1986, the latest date for which figures are available, 46.5 per cent. of full-time teachers and 16.8 per cent. of full-time head teachers in maintained secondary schools in England and Wales were women.

36. Mr. Loyden

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidelines his Department issues to education authorities to encourage back into teaching those women who have taken a career break; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

None. I am giving further consideration to the use of career breaks to improve the opportunities for women to return to teaching in consultation with the Equal Opportunities Commission, Engineering Council and the local authority associations. The teaching unions will also be consulted.

38. Mr. Patchett

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will give the proportion of(a) primary teachers and (b) primary head teachers who are women.

Mrs. Rumbold

In March 1986, the latest date for which figures are available, 78.7 per cent. of full-time teachers and 46.2 per cent. of full-time head teachers in maintained nursery and primary schools in England and Wales were women.

40. Mr. Boyes

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of teachers qualified to teach mathematics, physics and craft design and technology is women; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

Information from the 1984 sample survey of staffing in maintained secondary schools in England indicated that of the full-time teachers having a post-A-level qualification in mathematics, physics and CDT, the following were women:

Percentage Women
Mathematics 34
Physics 21
CDT (design based) 8
CDT (craft based) 3

Corresponding information for primary schools is not currently available. Data from the primary school staffing survey which was carried out by the Department in March 1987 are expected to be available shortly.