HC Deb 27 July 1967 vol 751 cc947-8
7. Mr. Longden

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he intends to abolish the primary differential; and if he will make a statement.

65. Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is aware that the points system is inequitable to primary school teachers; and if he will take steps to secure a review of the present arrangements.

Mr. Crosland

As I announced in my Answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Mr. Forrester) yesterday, action is now in hand to implement the recommendations of the Arbitral Body on this as on other aspects of teachers' pay.—[Vol. 751, c. 171.]

Mr. Longden

Does that mean that the Minister is, on the whole, against primary differentials? Does he agree that the profession considers that these points differentials can cause injustices and anomalies among various groups?

Mr. Crosland

I am well aware of the strong feelings that are held in the profession on the primary-secondary differential. On the other hand, both the Teachers' Panel and the Management Panel submitted, in the recent dispute, different versions of the kind of unit total system they would like to see. In the end the arbitral body rejected both the Management Panel and the Teachers' Panel versions, and as this will go to Burnham tomorrow I would prefer not to make any comments on the merits of the issue.