§ Mr. StrawTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blackburn of 29 June,Official Report, column 536, what information or estimates he now has as to the number of resignations submitted by teachers as at 31 May;
(2) what inquiries he has been able to make as to the number of (a) teachers and (b) head teacher resignations and the likely level of vacancies in September 1989; and with what result.
§ Mr. RumboldComprehensive data are not available. My officials telephoned a number of local education authorities to ask about the level of teacher resignations. Separate information on head teachers was not collected. Information from those authorities suggests that the position is little changed from that in recent years. As local authorities and schools are still recruiting teachers to take up posts in September, it is too early to make estimates of likely vacancies.