HC Deb 20 April 1964 vol 693 cc871-2
49. Mr. Albu

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to ensure that the salaries of teachers in speech therapy and chiropody employed in the National Health Service are equivalent to those employed by local authorities.

Mr. Braine

None, Sir.

Mr. Albu

Does the hon. Gentleman think it reasonable that, in one case, the salary of teachers is 60 per cent. of that in the education service and, in the other case, it is half that in the education service, very often for better qualified teachers in the National Health Service than in the education service? How does the hon. Gentleman think that it will be possible to maintain teaching institutions of this kind in the National Health Service when salary differences are as great as they are?

Mr. Braine

As the hon. Gentleman may know, the salaries of teachers of chiropody in the National Health Service chiropody schools are, in the first instance, a matter for the appropriate Whitley Council. I understand that the Industrial Court will shortly hear the case for improving the salaries in both the clinical and teaching grades which the two sides of the Council were unable to resolve. In view of what the hon. Gentleman has said, he may like to know that my right hon. Friend has recently agreed to a revision of the salaries, which are not negotiated in the Whitley Council, of the principal and deputy principal of the only speech therapy school in the hospital service—the hon. Gentleman may have this in mind—in the light of changes in the salaries for similar posts at schools for allied professions which are negotiated by the appropriate Whitley Council.

Mr. K. Robinson

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that these are not by any means the only two categories of staff in respect of whom there is this salary differential between the National Health Service and the local authorities, always to the detriment of the Health Service? How does he think that we shall ever get staffs within the Health Service up to a reasonable level if local authorities are always able to pay more? Is it not time that a general review were made of these categories of staff common to both services in an effort to arrive at a common level of salary?

Mr. Braine

If the hon. Gentleman is talking about teachers of chiropody in the National Health Service—that is what the Question refers to—

Mr. Robinson

I said that there were others.

Mr. Braine

—I have explained exactly what steps we are taking to remedy the situation. If the hon. Gentleman is referring to other categories, perhaps he will put a Question down.

Mr. Albu

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that even after the salary increase which is going to the principal and deputy principal of the school of speech therapy, their salaries will be very little more than half the salary which they would get in the education service?

Mr. Braine

I should like to await the decision. It is quite impossible to form a judgment of that kind at this moment.