HC Deb 17 July 1985 vol 83 cc301-2
3. Mr. McKelvey

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the report on the quinquennial review of the Teachers Superannuation Scheme (Scotland) has been received by him; and if he will give a date when it will be laid before Parliament.

The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. John MacKay)

My right hon. Friend has not yet received the report from the Government Actuary. I am not therefore in a position to say when it will be laid before Parliament.

Mr. McKelvey

You must be outraged by that answer, Mr. Speaker. The English counterpart for this period, which is 1976 to 1981, was dealt with in December 1983, and the Scottish Office is dragging almost four years behind. I ask for an assurance that no sort of Machiavellian trick will feature in the negotiations over teachers' conditions. It is a disgrace that teachers' working conditions and pensions have not been reported on and that the current information is four years out of date. Will the Minister give an assurance that if the employers have to increase their contributions, the Scottish Office will back the additional contributions with increased budgets?

Mr. MacKay

The hon. Gentleman will know from his obviously deep knowledge of the subject that the production of the report is a matter for the independent Government Actuary. It is not a matter over which we in the Scottish Office have direct control. However, I expect to receive the report shortly.

Mr. Lambie

As a teacher's superannuation is dependent on his final year's salary, will the Minister give an assurance that he will begin a new initiative to try to resolve the present industrial dispute within Scottish schools following the decisions reached at the recent annual conference of the Educational Institute of Scotland at Inverness?

Mr. MacKay

Negotiations on teachers' pay do not fall within my responsibility when they involve superannuation matters. Such matters are for my right hon. and hon. Friends. However, my right hon. Friend is prepared to meet the teachers and the management side at any time to discuss the way forward.