§ Mr. W. SMITHasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that many teachers between 55 and 65 years of age who are serving in the elementary schools under the Northamptonshire County Council are not yet receiving their maximum salaries; whether the amount of a teacher's pension is calculated upon his average salary for the five years previous to retirement; if so, whether he is aware that it is impossible under present conditions for some of these veterans to attain to their maximum pensions; whether he considers this to be one of the teachers' grievances which are adversely affecting recruiting for the teaching profession; and whether be will consider the advisability of revising the existing regulations in order to grant teachers their maximum pensions upon optional retirement at 60 years of age or upon compulsory retirement at 65?
§ Mr. FISHERI understand that there are in Northamptonshire a number of teachers between the ages of 55 and 65 who are not yet in receipt of the maximum of the provisional minimum scale recommended by Lord Burnham's Committee. The hon. Member will be aware that the 1589W process of bringing teachers to their correct position on that scale was to be spread over a period of years. The answer to the second and third parts of the question is in the affirmative, but legislation would be required to give effect to the hon. Member's suggestion.