Teachers' Pay (Dispute) (Hansard, 24 May 1984)

§ Mr. Derek Fatchett (Leeds, Central)

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 teachers' pay dispute and the refusal of the Government to go to arbitration. Earlier this week my right hon. Friend the Member for Morley and Leeds, South (Mr. Rees) drew attention to the effects of the teachers' pay dispute in Leeds. Those effects continue, and are being broadened to a national basis. At the moment, 240 schools are directly affected by the teachers' dispute, three quarters of which are closed. Forty-two local education authorities are similarly affected by the teachers' dispute.

This dispute can be solved by arbitration. The teachers' unions are prepared to go to arbitration and many of the Labour-controlled local authorities are similarly prepared to go to arbitration, but the Government refuse to accept that possibility. On this issue, as with the miners' dispute and other industrial disputes, the Government have taken a totally intransigent and inflexible position. Arbitration is a solution, but the Government are not prepared to consider it.

I submit that the damage caused by this dispute to our children's education, which is the direct result of the Government's refusal to go to arbitration, is a matter of such importance that it should be subject to immediate debate by the House. Parents throughout the country look to the House and the Government to give a lead. They will be disappointed if we are unable to debate this issue as early as possible.