HC Deb 26 July 1967 vol 751 c739
62. Mr. Edward M. Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date he received the report of the Roberts Committee set up to consider the distribution of teachers in Scotland; and whether he accepts the Committee's recommendations.

Mr. Ross

I received the Report in April, 1966, and it was published in July of that year. I have yet to reach decisions on the Committee's recommendations.

Mr. Taylor

Is it not scandalous that the Secretary of State should have had this report for over a year with the situation in Scotland deteriorating and nothing being done? Can he at least give us an assurance that if a substantial wage rise for English and Welsh teachers is announced today, there would be similar problems in respect of Scottish teachers' salaries as we had with the case of local government officers and electricians in Scotland?

Mr. Ross

These things are not analogous. He will appreciate—and I wish he would look into the facts of the situation before racing into it—that the Secretary of State of the previous Administration tried to do something about this in 1963. He tried twice and he failed because the teachers and the local authorities said that it was not possible. It is not so easy and it takes time. We are still considering what can be done about this.