§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he has taken recently to reduce the number of school classes to below 30 per teacher; and what pupil-to-teacher ratio he has as an educational policy objective.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonResponsibility for the size of classes in Scottish schools rests with education384W authorities, in consultation with headteachers, and not with central Government. The current class size maxima are set out in the "Scheme of Conditions of Service for Teachers". The normal maximum for single stage primary classes and stage S1–S2 in secondary schools is 33 pupils per class, and 30 per class in S3–S6.
The latest available statistics (school census 1991) indicate that 87 per cent. of primary and 99 per cent. of secondary classes have 30 or fewer pupils.
The latest pupil to teacher ratios in Scottish primary and secondary schools are 19.5:1 and 12.4:1 respectively. We have no set target or objective but these figures can be compared with the equivalent ratios of 20.3:1 and 14:1 of 10 years ago.