To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many qualified teachers have left the maintained sector since 1997. (287228)

Provisional estimates show that by March 2008 297,300 full and part-time teachers who had been in full or part-time regular service in local authority maintained schools in England in any March between 1997 and 2007 had left. The figure includes teachers who have left temporarily, for example on unpaid maternity leave. Teachers who have retired are also included and those who have gone on to teach outside the English maintained sector.

The source of the information is the Database of Teacher Records. The figure provided may be a slight underestimate because it is known that service details for around 10 to 20 per cent. of part-time teachers are not recorded in the data.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many qualified (a) teachers and (b) male teachers under the age of 60 years are not teaching. (287229)

Provisional information for March 2008 shows that there were 404,600 teachers under the age of 60 with qualified teacher status in England or Wales who were not recorded in service of whom 123,000 were men. This information is from the Database of Teacher Records.

There will be some teachers in the totals provided who will be in service outside of England and Wales or teaching in sectors that are not recorded in the data source. These will include some of the higher education sector and independent schools who are not part of the Teachers Pensions Scheme.