§ 11. Sir B. Jannerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that he was kept fully informed by the University Grants Committee of the progress of salary negotiations for university teachers from November, 1960, onwards, and that this constituted a commitment entered into prior to 25th July, Why he is not prepared to consider 1112 the question of the salaries of university teachers apart from the major effects of the pay pause.
§ Sir E. BoyleThere was no Government commitment prior to 25th July.
§ Sir B. JannerIs the hon. Gentleman aware that that is not the view held by the university teachers? It is obvious that their claim should not have come within the pay pause regulations. Is the hon. Gentleman further aware that, apart from the folly of not granting this claim, the idea of the Government straining all they can in order to prevent the payment of additional salaries to the teachers is really a very serious matter for the country, and that unless something is done the country will suffer considerably?
§ Sir E. BoyleThis is not a matter which we can debate at Question Time, but it is important. I will try to answer the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question seriously. The pay pause policy, which was accepted as a disagreeable necessity, would have been impossible if all cases in which salary negotiations were in progress had been exempted. The fact that negotiations were in progress does not, of necessity, constitute a prior commitment. I repeat that there was no prior commitment in this case.