§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made with his plans to encourage retired professionals to assist in schools on a voluntary basis; and what programmes are in place in the North East. [148319]
§ Mr. MilibandWorking through some of our national partners and contractors, such as the NCSL, TTA and Capita, we have encouraged the increased use of retired professionals, including teachers, with our plans for remodelling the school workforce and promoting 'Keeping in Touch' and 'Return to Teach' programmes. It is however up to local authorities and schools to determine their local needs for voluntary support staff. The Department does not collect centrally information about any such local programmes.
More specifically, for those teachers who retired on ill-health grounds from the Teachers' Pension Scheme, regulations came into effect on 1 January 2004 (The Education Health Standards England Regulations 2003) which will enable such former teachers to be re-employed, or work on a voluntary basis, in the education sector in a non-teaching capacity.