Question to the Department for Education:

What recent steps he has taken to increase the number of people entering the teaching profession.

This government is committed to world class public services. To ensure teaching remains an attractive and fulfilling profession, we are delivering a fully funded pay rise of up to 3.5% for classroom teachers on the main pay range, 2% for those on the upper pay range and 1.5% for those in leadership positions.

For recruitment to initial teacher training starting in September 2018 we put in place a range of measures including generous bursaries, worth up to £26,000 for priority subjects, to encourage even more talented trainees to key subjects such as maths and physics.

Earlier this year my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the development of a new strategy to drive recruitment and boost retention of teachers. The strategy will cover a wide range of areas, including professional development, career progression, flexible working, and entry routes into teaching.