§ Lieut-Colonel Cordeauxasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now make a statement on the salaries of university teachers.
Mr. AmoryI am satisfied that a revision of the salaries of academic staff at the universities is now necessary if regard is to be had both to salary increases in comparable professions and to the need to retain and recruit staff of adequate calibre during the forthcoming period of great expansion in the universities. The University Grants Committee, after receiving representations from the Association of University Teachers and after ascertaining the views of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals, has submitted recommendations to me concerning the salaries of non-medical and pre-clinical staff. In so doing, they have said that they are considering the position of clinical staff in relation to the conclusions of the Royal Commission on the Remuneration of Doctors and Dentists, and will, in due course, submit recommendations under this head.
I have considered the Committee's recommendations regarding non-medical and pre-clinical staff, and I propose to ask Parliament to provide the additional funds required to enable the universities to bring into effect, as from 1st January, 1960, the revised rates and scales of salary for full-time academic staff which are given below.
Some universities, however, are having particular difficulty in attracting or retaining academic staff of adequate calibre in a number of fields—in certain of the arts subjects, as well as in the pure and applied sciences—where competition is particularly intense. As regards non-medical professors, the universities are already free to pay 57W varying salaries within the range provided that these do not on average exceed the minimum of the range by more than a fixed amount. As a consequence of the extension of the range I have agreed that this amount may now be increased in the case of each university. The total cost of this will amount to£235,000 a year. As regards lecturers, I have authorised the University Grants Committee to offer to those universities additional funds to finance (a) flexible arrangements with regard to initial salaries within the lecturers' scale (along the lines already operated by some universities), and (b) the payment of salaries above the maximum of that scale, but not exceeding£2,000, to a limited number of lecturers. It will be for each university to decide whether or not to accept such additional funds, which if fully taken up would amount to£315,000.
The total consequential increase in the recurrent grants of the universities is estimated to be of the order of£3½ million a year initially.
The following will be the revised rates and scales of salary:
NON-MEDICAL POSTS
Professors
Basic salaries of£2,600 a year, with provision for supplementation allowing for a range of salaries up to£3,600 a year.
Readers and Senior Lecturers
A range of salaries with varying maxima up to£2,425 a year, or in special circumstances to£2,525 a year.
Lecturers
Scales rising generally from£1,050 x£50—£1,400 x£75—£l,850 a year. Assistant Lecturers
A scale rising from£800 x£50—£950 a year.
PRE-CLINICAL POSTS
Professors
Salaries ranging from£2,600 to£3,600 a year.
Readers
Salaries within the maxima indicated below for lecturers.
Lecturers
Scales of salary rising from£1,050 x£100 to maxima ranging from£1,850 to£2,525 a year.
[LONDON ALLOWANCE
Additional allowances of£100 for Professors,£80 for Readers and Senior Lecturers, and£60 for others will continue to be paid to staffs of London University.]