§ Mr. Nellistasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table showing (a) the average salary for a teacher in April for each year from 1974 to 1985, (b) the average salary for a teacher during each year had the levels of pay recommended by the Houghton committee been maintained and (c) the loss of pay during each year for that teacher, and the total loss over the period expressed for each at cash and April 1985 prices.
§ Sir Keith JosephThe table gives estimated average salaries (excluding allowances) for all full-time teachers in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England and Wales from April 1974 to April 1984 (the date from which the last settlement applied). The table also sets out the percentage pay settlements for each year, movement in the retail prices index for the same period, and indices showing cumulative year-on-year increases in average salaries and pay settlements from April 1974 and April 1979.
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Year* Average salaries for all school teachers (excluding allowances) Percentage increases in school teachers' pay Retail Price Index† £ Index 1974=100 Index 1979=100 Percent. Index 1974=100 Index 1979=100 Percent. Index 1974=100 Index 1979=100 April 1974 3,100 100 — ‡37.0 100 — 15.1 100 — April 1975 3,800 123 — 22.3 122 — 21.7 122 — April 1976 4,200 135 — 8.3 132 — 18.9 145 — April 1977 4,400 142 — 3.8 137 — 17.4 170 — April 1978 4,900 158 — 9.9 151 — 8.0 183 — April 1979 5,400 174 100 9.3 165 100 10.0 202 100 The table demonstrates the following movement in teachers' average salaries relative to RPI:
Percentage from April 1974 to April 1979 -14 from April 1979 to April 1984 +10 from April 1974 to April 1984 -6 All salary and index figures are rounded and the results should be construed accordingly. With that caveat these figures replace any previously given.
It is not possible to estimate what average salary levels would have been
11Whad the levels of pay recommended by the Houghton Committee been maintained".The Houghton committee did not set teachers' pay levels for all time nor establish a settled formula by which they should be updated, though it did suggest certain factors which might be taken into account.
Year* Average salaries for all school teachers (excluding allowances) Percentage increases in school teachers' pay Retail Price Index† £ Index 1974=100 Index 1979=100 Percent. Index 1974=100 Index 1979=100 Percent. Index 1974=100 Index 1979=100 April 1980 7,350 237 136 ||35.1 223 135 21.8 246 122 April 1981 8,050 260 149 7.5 240 145 12.0 275 136 April 1982 8,600 277 159 6.0 254 154 9.4 301 149 April 1983 9,100 294 169 5.0 267 162 4.0 313 155 April 1984 9,650 311 170 5.1 281 170 5.2 330 163 * For the purposes of the estimated average salaries all increases have been attributed back to April of the year in which they occurred (see also notes (‡) and (||) below). † All items. ‡ A negotiated settlement of 8 per cent. from 1 April plus an additional 27 per cent. by the Houghton Committee taking effect from 24 May and estimated as providing a further 2 per cent. in the long-term. || 14.6 per cent. arbitration award plus an additional 17.9 per cent. awarded by the Clegg Commission.