§ 27. Mr. FauldsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he is taking to obtain an accurate account of teacher shortages in secondary education.
§ Mr. ButcherI refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that my hon. Friend the Minister of State gave to the hon. Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Wall) on 26 April 1989 at column553.
§ 33. Mr. LivseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the shortages of maths and science teachers.
§ Mr. ButcherI refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 26 April to my hon. Friend the Member for Erith and Crayford (Mr. Evennett) at column554.
§ Ms. PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he is taking to obtain an accurate account of teacher shortages in nursery education.
§ 34. Mr. Gareth WardellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he is taking to obtain an accurate account of teacher shortages in nursery education.
§ Mr. ButcherThe Department instituted the collection of data on vacant posts in nursery and primary schools for the first time in January 1988. We also conducted a primary school staffing survey in 1987 which provides extensive information about teachers in nursery and primary schools.
§ 35. Mrs. MahonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to solve the problems of teacher shortages in Surrey.
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§ Mr. ButcherThe Department's action programme on teacher shortages has, over the last three years, been aimed at securing new recruits to teaching in the shortage subjects and at providing in-service training for existing but under-qualified teachers of these subjects. Action has, in particular, been focused on those parts of the country, including Surrey, where shortages have hit hardest. We plan to build on and extend that programme as necessary to secure the teachers that we need for our schools.