§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the bursary scheme for students on courses of initial teacher training in shortage subjects.
§ Mr. ForthThe shortage subject bursary scheme provides incentive payments to students taking postgraduate certificate in education and two-year BEd courses in mathematics, science, technology and modern foreign languages. Although recruitment to these and other courses of initial teacher training is buoyant and the vacancy rate for teachers is now lower than it has been for over 10 years, the bursary scheme is still needed to help maintain teacher supply in those subject areas which are most difficult to recruit to. My right hon. Friend will therefore make expenditure provision available for the scheme in the next financial year; but, to reflect spending priorities, the current bouyancy of recruitment to teacher training and the lw loevel of teacher vacancies, my right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales intend to seek parliamentary approval for a change in the relevant statutory instrument to alter the level of payment at which the bursary will be set.
The current main rate of bursary is £1,500 a year, and there are extra payments to those on courses in physics and craft, design and technology. We intend to introduce a flat-rate bursary of £1,000 for all students commencing eligible courses on or after 1 September 1993.