§ 41. Miss Herbisonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he proposes to announce his decision on the proposed payment of £50 above the scale to teachers in certain areas of Scotland.
§ Mr. NobleI intend to seek the views of the body which I am setting up to replace the National Joint Council. I shall announce my decision as soon as possible thereafter.
§ Miss HerbisonWill the Secretary of State give some idea when that will be? Is he not aware that in many of the areas where it is not proposed to give this extra £50 already there are added difficulties in attracting teachers who will not move from areas where they expect to get the £50? Does he not realise how urgent is a decision on this matter?
§ Mr. NobleI shall make a decision about it quickly, but, as the hon. Lady knows, Lord Johnston's judgment, which declared the National Joint Council improperly constituted, was announced only a day or two before the National Joint Council was to give me its advice. It is important as well as courteous that I should get the views of the new National Joint Council which I shall set up. I shall set it up as soon as I can.
§ Miss HerbisonCannot the Secretary of State give us any idea when he expects this Council to be set up? Can we have a definite date? When can we expect a report from it? Is he not aware that it was not the National Joint Council which suggested to him in the first place that he should make this payment to teachers in certain places outside Glasgow? That was a decision which the right hon. Gentleman himself took, and a decision which he should now himself rescind.
§ Mr. NobleThe National Joint Council is the body to which I refer all questions of salaries, and so I think that it would be discourteous not to give the Council the opportunity to comment.