§ 10. Mr. Bruce-Gardyneasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many qualified and experienced teachers who were dismissed from their employment for refusal to register with the General Teaching Council are still living; how many are still of an age to qualify for reinstatement; and what has been their aggregate loss of earnings since they were improperly dismissed.
§ Mr. MonroSo far as I am aware all the 18 teachers concerned are still living; ages at present range from 28 to 62; to what extent there has been loss of earnings depends on personal circumstances, and details of these are not available to me.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneI am grateful to my hon. Friend for that information, so far as it goes. While recognising that the Scottish Education Department has got itself into a pretty pickle as a result of the flagrantly improper conduct of the right hon. Member for Kilmarnock (Mr. Ross) when in office, may I ask my hon. Friend nevertheless to recognise that it is a bit much that this small number of teachers should be put to still further expense to establish what Lord Keith has shown to be their entitlement? Will he therefore now reinstate them, where reinstatement is appropriate, and provide compensation for loss of earnings for the lot of them?
§ Mr. MonroAs my right hon. Friend told my hon. Friend at Question Time on the last occasion, this is a most important matter and we appreciate my hon. Friend's interest in it. Until this case has been taken to the Inner House, however, it would be wrong for me to make any further statement.