Teachers (Pay) (Hansard, 5 December 1984)

§ Mr. Malcolm Bruce (Gordon)

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 10, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely, the strike today of Scottish teachers over the failure of the Secretary of State for Scotland to grant an independent pay review. This matter is urgent because this is a major national strike involving more than 30,000 teachers — 80 per cent. of the members of the Educational Institute of Scotland. The matter is specific because that strike is disrupting the education of many thousands of pupils throughout Scotland. That is a regrettable development. The matter is also specific because the Government could do something about the problem by granting teachers an independent pay review.

This matter is urgent because the lack of independent pay review is leading to the disruption of the programme to develop standard grade examinations in Scotland. It is likely that the whole system could collapse in the next year or two and that students will be unable to take those examinations in 1986. The matter is urgent also because, already, many dedicated teachers are leaving, or contemplating leaving, the profession, specifically science and maths teachers who are in most need. They are leaving because they can receive better pay in other sectors.

I therefore urge you, Mr. Speaker, to give me leave to move the Adjournment of the House so that this matter can be debated and we can impress upon the Government the need to take positive action to grant an independent pay review and allow Scottish teachers to get on with the job they want to do—that of teaching our children.