§ Mr. WoodwardTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assistance her Department gives to schools seeking to recruit teachers from abroad. [70181]
§ Mr. Miliband[holding answer 17 July 2002]: The Department does not give any special assistance to schools for overseas recruitment. But more broadly, my right hon. Friend has allocated £44 million from the recruitment and retention fund for 2002–03 to schools in areas where the cost of living can make it harder to attract and keep the best teachers, following the £33 million allocated last year. A new Recruitment and Retention Unit in the Government Office for London will also support London LEAs in, amongst other things, overseas recruitment.