§ 17. Sir Michael NeubertTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to change the basis of funding teachers' salaries under the local management of schools.
§ Mr. FallonPupil-led funding is a basic principle of local management and we have no plans to change that. However, we have said that we shall review the effects of our policy on the treatment of salary costs as the transitional arrangements governing the change from historic to formula funding unwind.
§ 25. Mr. Ronnie CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to encourage women to return to teaching; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FallonWe are already encouraging women to return to teaching through our grants for education support and training (GEST) programme, which supports LEA measures to recruit returners and mature entrants to teaching. In 1991–92 about £10 million is available for this purpose and we have already earmarked a further £10 million for expenditure in 1992–93. Most potential returners are women who may need particular help to enable them to re-enter teaching. Many GEST-funded activities are directed specifically towards providing such help.
§ 29. Mr. HainTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on morale in the teaching profession.
§ Mr. EggarMy right hon. and learned Friend and I have taken every opportunity to praise the dedication and achievements of teachers. The Government's intention to establish a pay review body for teachers recognises that commitment and will give practical effect to our desire to enhance the status of the profession. The interim advisory committee of school teachers' pay and conditions has noted an improvement in morale as the national curriculum is successfully introduced and the benefits of local management of schools start to be felt.
§ Miss LestorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average length of time prospective teachers have to wait before being vetted for suitability for specific teaching posts.
§ Mr. FallonRecruitment of teachers, including deciding an applicant's suitability for a specific post, is a matter for 423W individual employers: LEAs, and the governing bodies of schools and other establishments. The Department does not collect statistics about the length of time taken by employers' recruitment procedures.
§ Mr. CartwrightTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers are currently employed in sixth form colleges organised under school regulations.
§ Mr. FallonThe number of qualified teachers employed in sixth form colleges in England in January 1990 was 7,278.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his Department's latest estimate of the number of qualified teachers who are not currently teaching.
§ Mr. FallonI shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what his Department estimates to be the average cost per year of(a) a primary school teacher and (b) a secondary school teacher.
§ Mr. EggarIn April 1991 the estimated average cost, including employers' on-costs, of employing a primary school teacher outside London was some £19,340. The comparable figure for a secondary school teacher was about £21,160.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number of teachers employed in(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools on a yearly basis since 1970.
§ Mr. FallonThe number of qualified full-time and part-time teachers employed in primary and secondary schools in England for the period 1970 to 1990, the latest date for which information is available, is given in the table.
Number of qualified teachers employed in maintained primary and secondary schools in England 1970 to 1990 Year Primary Secondary 1970 194,971 185,682 1971 200,596 185,077 1972 210,755 194,831 1973 217,707 206,721 1974 222,880 223,683 1975 227,296 233,454 1976 226,925 241,047 1977 223,141 246,819 1978 205,338 236,354 1979 204,405 240,810 1980 200,534 242,475 1981 196,143 243,435 1982 188,876 240,476 1983 183,678 239,323 1984 181,852 237,368 1985 181,501 230,871 1986 183,313 225,715 1987 187,037 221,184 1988 191,910 215,231 1989 195,008 207,994 1990 199,498 203,400
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the latest figures for the number of full and part-time teachers employed by each of the local education authorities in England.
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§ Mr. FallonThe latest figures relate to January 1990 and are contained in the DES Statistical Bulletin 5/91, a copy of which is available in the Library.