asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of students in courses of initial teacher training at the latest date for which figures are available; and what he expects the numbers to be in each of the next five years.

The provisional figure for October 1974 is about 112,600 recognised students in colleges and departments of education, including colleges of education—technical—and art teacher training centres. The estimated number for 1975 is about 105,000. Policy for future years is still under review.