HC Deb 09 February 1954 vol 523 cc989-90
7. Mrs. Mann

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the highest salary paid to headmasters in Lanarkshire, with or without special allowances, and the minimum; and the highest in operation in Glasgow, with or without special allowances, and the minimum.

Mr. Henderson Stewart

In both areas the salaries paid by education authorities are governed by the Salaries Regulations, under which the salary varies according to the size and nature of the school. In effect, the maximum payable to a teacher who is at the top of the basic scale is £1,625 and the minimum £805. In Lanarkshire the highest salary paid is £1625 and the lowest £789, which is paid to a headmaster not yet at the top of his scale. In Glasgow, one headmaster has been excepted from the Regulations on the application of the education authority and receives a salary of £1,750. The lowest salary paid in Glasgow is £952.

26. Miss Herbison

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received against the provisions of the Draft Regulations on Teachers' Salaries.

Mr. Henderson Stewart

Representations may be made up to 18th February, and on past experience the bulk of them will be received between now and that date. It is therefore too soon to assess the position. So far 279 representations have been received, 226 of which are printed postcards issued by the Glasgow Local Association of the Educational Institute of Scotland. The main points are that the increases in the basic scales are inadequate, that there should also be increases in responsibility payments, and that the changes proposed in the scales for women and male technical teachers with a view to reducing anomalies should not be made.

Miss Herbison

Is the Minister aware that there is very great ill-feeling in Scotland over the proposals contained in these Draft Regulations? Is he also aware that there is a very strong feeling that the provisions of these Regulations are meant to boost up the action previously taken by the Government in lowering the entrance qualification for women teachers, which will lead to a further deterioration in the proportion of graduate to non-graduate teachers in Scotland?

Mr. Stewart

No, Sir. If the hon. Lady will wait until we have received all the representations, when we can make a statement, she will see that there are really no grounds for the suggestions which she has made.

Sir T. Moore

Does not my hon. Friend—and, no doubt, the hon. Lady, as a teacher—agree that the record of the late Government in regard to the question of teachers' salaries was truly lamentable in their six years of office, especially compared with the approach made by the present Government?