§
[No. 49]
Clause 18, page 22, line 22, after "staff" insert "or speech therapists".
§ 5.58 p.m.
§ LORD ABERDAREMy Lords, this Amendment provides for the transfer to the employment of the new health authorities of speech therapists employed by local education authorities under Section 34 of the Education Act 1944. The Report on the speech therapy services published last autumn, the Quirk Report, recommended that all speech therapists should be brought together under the employment of the new health authorities. This recommendation has been accepted by the Government, and this is the purpose of the present Amendment.
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendment.—(Lord Aberdare.)
§ BARONESS SEROTAMy Lords, I am very much in favour of this change in principle. I wonder whether the noble Lord can tell me what will happen about their rates of pay? As I recall it, speech therapists in the education service were paid at a much higher rate than those in the Health Service at one time. I am perfectly happy to agree to this Amendment provided that the noble Lord can assure me that there will be a nonworsening clause (if I may put it that way) in relation to the pay of the staff concerned.
§ LORD ABERDAREMy Lords, I know I can confidently say it is our intention fully to maintain these services which are at present provided by local authorities, and I certainly would not envisage any lowering in the pay of speech therapists. I would prefer not to go further than that. I am not quite sure what the actual arrangements will be for the determination of their pay. Perhaps I may get in touch with the noble Baroness and let her know.
§ BARONESS SEROTAMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for that assurance. I realise that he has quite a lot on his plate to-day and I am sorry if I jumped that particular one on him without notice. I should be more than happy if he would let me know what the position is going to be.
§ On Question Motion agreed to.