HC Deb 09 March 1926 vol 192 cc2084-6
31. Major Sir ARCHIBALD SINCLAIR

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the claim of the staffs of the three Scottish agricultural colleges, based upon the Report of Lord Constable's Committee, to salaries equal to those paid to corresponding officers in England has been considered; what is the amount of the sum involved; and whether provision will be made in the Estimates for the year 1926–27 for establishing equality of remuneration as between Scottish and English staffs?

30. Mr. WESTWOOD

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the revised scale of salaries of the staffs of the Scottish agricultural colleges, as proposed by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, has been approved of by the Treasury; and, if so, is the increased cost thereby entailed to be provided by the Treasury or from additional local contributions?

35. Sir ALEXANDER SPROT

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the approval in principle of the Treasury to the revised scale of salaries of the staffs of the agricultural colleges in Scotland, if he will recommend that the condition which qualifies the approval, namely, that the colleges should find the increased cost thereby entailed, be withdrawn, and thus place the Scottish agricultural colleges on an equal footing with those in England?

Sir J. GILMOUR

The Treasury have agreed in principle to the proposal that the salaries of the staffs of the Scottish agricultural colleges should be revised, subject to the colleges being able to find the increased cost thereby entailed from additional local contributions in view of the fact that approximately 86 per cent. of the net expenditure on the colleges is already being met by Exchequer grants. The system of organisation and finance of agricultural education in Scotland differs from that in England, so that it is not possible to make a satisfactory comparison between the two countries. I regret that I can hold out no hope of the withdrawal of the condition that the increased cost of salaries should be met from local contributions.

Sir A. SINCLAIR

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of question 31, and say whether the Treasury will accept the responsibility for paying the Scottish instructors in these colleges at the same rates as they pay similar instructors working in English colleges?

Sir J. GILMOUR

No, Sir. The Treasury make it quite clear that as the contributions are so high in Scotland to the general work of the colleges, this must be met out of the resources.

Sir A. SINCLAIR

Surely that is extremely unfair to the instructors concerned?