HC Deb 08 February 2001 vol 362 c691W
25. Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of teacher shortages in Buckinghamshire schools. [147932]

Ms Estelle Morris

The latest figures available show that there were 55 vacancies in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in Buckinghamshire in January 2000. My Department has received no reports from Buckinghamshire local education authority that would call into question the ability of any school in the county to offer a full timetable to date.

31. Mr. Brazier

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent meetings he has had with parents of schoolchildren to discuss the number of vacancies in the teaching profession. [147938]

Mr. Syms

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent meetings he has had with teachers to discuss teacher recruitment. [147926]

Ms Estelle Morris

I refer the hon. Members to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Mrs. Laing),Official Report columns 1054–55.

Mr. Waterson

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the number of vacancies in the teaching profession at the latest date for which figures are available. [147927]

Ms Estelle Morris

The latest comprehensive figures published by my Department, based on a census of English local authorities taken in January 2000, showed 1,420 vacancies for full-time posts in maintained nursery and primary schools, 1,250 vacancies for full-time posts in secondary schools and 240 vacancies for full-time posts in special schools. The results from two sample surveys of schools in England, undertaken by my Department in the first week of this term, published on 2 February, estimate that there were between 600 and 1,100 vacancies for full-time posts in nursery and primary schools and between 1,300 and 1,600 vacancies for full-time posts in secondary schools.