HC Deb 15 March 1945 vol 409 c373
25. Mr. Lipson

asked the Minister of Education if he has considered the Burnham award on teachers' salaries; and if he has decided to accept it.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education (Mr. Ede)

The scales of remuneration submitted to my right hon. Friend by the Burnham Committee are under consideration, but he is not yet in a position to announce his decision upon them.

Mr. Lipson

But can my right hon. Friend explain the reason for this delay, in view of the fact that the Minister announced to this House some time ago an arrangement he had made with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to enable local authorities to meet the expenditure; and is he further aware that local authorities have to prepare their budgets and they are in difficulty in not knowing how much they have to provide for teachers' salaries?

Mr. Ede

With regard to the first part of that supplementary question, my right hon. Friend made it clear in the course of his speech that the arrangement he announced was contingent upon his final acceptance of the scheme. With regard to the second part of the question, it has to be borne in mind that the local authorities themselves were responsible for a three months' delay in reaching their decision on the scales after the Burnham Committee had drafted them. I would suggest to my hon. Friend that he should repeat his Question next week.

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