HC Deb 24 September 1931 vol 256 cc1808-10
34. Mr. ISAACS

asked the President of the Board of Education if the proposed reduction in the salaries of teachers will, apply also to the inspectors, administrative officers, and other staff employed by public education authorities?

The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Sir Donald Maclean)

Local education authorities have been informed in paragraph 3 of circular 1413, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy, that in determining the amount of expenditure by authorities on the salaries and wages of their officers other than teachers which should be recognised for purposes of grant, the Board will have regard to the extent to which appropriate reductions in such salaries and wages have been made in the light of the reductions in the salaries of teachers and the various branches of the public service.

Mr. DUKES

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that many of these rates of wages have been the subject of negotiation by existing joint machinery and are actually post-dated month after month? Is he aware that what is now proposed would be regarded by the men's representatives as undue interference with the existing machinery and certainly would be resisted?

Sir D. MACLEAN

All facts of that kind have been taken into account and sympathetically considered.

Mr. MUGGERIDGE

Is not that precisely the case with the teachers, and is there not a body to which they have looked to fix their salaries in precisely the same way?

37. Mr. BENJAMIN GARDNER

asked the President of the Board of Education whether school medical officers are included among the officers other than teachers referred to in Circular 1413, issued 11th September, 1931; whether his Department has opened any negotiations with the British Medical Association in the matter of reductions of school medical officers' salaries; and, if so, whether he will communicate the result of any such negotiations to education authorities for the authorities' guidance, so that there may be a scale or scales of reductions generally acceptable and applicable throughout England and Wales?

Sir D. MACLEAN

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I have not opened any negotiations with the British Medical Association in the matter of school medical officers' salaries, and the third part of the question does not, therefore, arise.

Mr. GARDNER

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this association is a very powerful trade union, and that it has successfully dictated to public authorities what salaries shall be paid to its members?

Sir D. MACLEAN

I am aware of the power of all trade unions. If the association desires to make any representations to me, I shall be very glad to receive them.

Mr. GARDNER

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why this matter is left to public authorities, while in the case of the teachers there is an ultimatum?

HON. MEMBERS

Answer!

Sir D. MACLEAN

I have no objection at all to answering the hon. Member's question. The answer is that they are employed by the local authorities, as, indeed, the teachers are, but in this case the local authorities have complete control of them.

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