HC Deb 24 March 1960 vol 620 cc656-7
18. Mr. Fitch

asked the Minister of Education if his attention has been drawn to paragraph 96 of the Roberts Report; and what proposals he has to make.

Sir D. Eccles

Yes, Sir, but, as the Roberts Committee recognised, negotiating machinery exists for determining the salaries of qualified librarians, and I have no doubt that paragraph 96 has been noted by those concerned.

Mr. Fitch

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that 51 per cent. of all qualified librarians working in public libraries are on a salary scale the maximum of which is £765 a year? Does he not feel that for the qualifications required for this job the salary is too low? Did not the Roberts Report recommend that he should draw the attention of the appropriate joint negotiating committee to that fact? Has he done so?

Sir D. Eccles

Yes, I think that local authorities are well aware of this.

Mr. Anthony Greenwood

Is it not a fact that the local authorities are losing to private industry librarians who may have trained at public expense? Could he not lend his own authority to the recommendations of the Roberts Report in this respect?

Sir D. Eccles

I have not exact information about the wastage of librarians. I will look into that.