HC Deb 19 March 1985 vol 75 cc467-9W
19. Mrs. Rumbold

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children have been affected by strikes by the National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers since 26 February.

Sir Keith Joseph

The 27,000 primary and secondary schools maintained by 104 local education authorities in England and Wales cater for about 8.3 million pupils and employ about 420,000 full-time teachers. Comprehensive information about the extent and effects of recent industrial action in these schools is not available centrally. It is however estimated that over 1 million children have been deprived of some lessons as a result of the selective strikes and other forms of disruptive action called by the NUT and the NAS/UWT. The Government deplore the fact that children's education is being disrupted in this way.

24. Mr. John Mark Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the teachers' pay dispute.

26. Mr. Allan Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the teachers' pay dispute.

38. Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the teachers' dispute affecting some schools.

49. Mr. Terry Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about teachers' pay.

50. Mr. McQuarrie

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further progress has been made towards resolving of the teachers' dispute.

Sir Keith Joseph

I refer the hon. Members to the answers I have given today to my hon. Friends the Members for Norwich, North (Mr. Thompson) and for Mitcham and Morden (Mrs. Rumbold).

25. Mr. Boyes

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science by how much the real level of teachers' pay has increased since 1979 compared with average non-manual earnings.

Sir Keith Joseph

The cumulative total of pay rises awarded to school teachers since April 1979, up to and including April 1984, is 69 per cent. Teachers' average salaries during that period have increased by 79 per cent. (the higher increase in average salaries is explained by the effect of incremental drift in addition to annual pay rises). Over the same period the average weekly earnings (including overtime) of non-manual employees have increased by 86 per cent. while increases in the retail price index amount to 63 per cent.

30. Mr. Flannery

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to discuss the teachers' industrial action with the employers' side of the Burnham committee; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Keith Joseph

I discussed the nature, extent and impact of the industrial action called by the National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers when I met representatives of the Council of Local Education Authorities on 6 March. We noted the selective nature of the strikes and the varied impact of other forms of action in different parts of the country. I share the employers' deep concern that the education of children is being disrupted.

40. Mr. Yeo

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from parents regarding strike action by teachers.

Sir Keith Joseph

I have received about 50 letters from parents drawing attention to the effects the industrial action by school teachers is having on their children's education. I am to meet representatives of the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations about this on 20 March.

40. Mr. Greenway

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the salary and conditions of service of teachers.

44. Mr. Chapman

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the future pay and conditions of the teaching profession.

Sir Keith Joseph

Although discussions between the employers and the teacher associations on the school teachers' pay structure and related conditions of service ceased last December, I remain ready to receive and consider reform proposals. Were I to find any proposals which might be forthcoming negotiable, educationally acceptable and affordable, I would put them to my Cabinet colleagues for their collective consideration. I cannot predict the outcome. As the prospects of negotiating an early acceptable and affordable structure reform package seem increasingly difficult, I shall continue to consider other avenues for improving the professional development and performance of teachers and the management of the teacher force.

58. Mr. Sedgemore

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has given to the Burnham further education joint working party on salary structure or the availability of additional resources to meet the cost of any proposals.

Sir Keith Joseph

My views on these matters have been made clear by my representatives in the various discussions and in a letter dated 7 February sent to the leader of the management panel of the Burnham Further Education Committee. I repeated the same views when I met the leader at his request on 15 February. The text of the letter is as followsAs your talks on the FE pay structure have now got under way, I think it would be helpful if I set out where I stand. When we had our useful talk last November, I made clear that the Government would welcome an effort to improve the flexibility and efficiency of the FE service and that I was very willing to see all options examined. But at the same time I asserted — and repeat this now — that I believe that these improvements should be and must be financed from savings arising from the greater efficiency of the service. Although the Audit Commission's investigation of local authority further and higher education is still to be finally written up, I understand that their report will be drawing attention to considerable scope which they believe exists for more cost-effective delivery of substantial parts of the service. Such efficiency savings as may be obtained should, I consider, be deployed to general benefit, including the customers of the service and those (including Central Government) who pay for it: productivity gains should not be allowed to accrue uniquely to teaching staff in the form of increased pay. I recognise the difficult nature of the discussions ahead and I did not want to make life even more difficult by allowing there to be any uncertainty about my position.