HC Deb 03 November 1998 vol 318 c527W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many new teacher posts have been created in each of the last five years in the primary phase. [55815]

Mr. Charles Clarke

The numbers of new teacher posts are not held centrally. The total full-time equivalent number of teachers in service in the maintained nursery and primary sector in England for each of the last 5 years is given in the table.

January Full-time equivalent
1994 197,600
1995 198,400
1996 199,600
1997 200,000
1998 198,400

LEAs that received grants to reduce infant classes have reported that an additional 1,500 teachers were recruited for infant classes in September 1998 to help deliver the class size pledge.