§ Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the reasons which led him to exclude the Scottish Schoolmasters' Association from the National Joint Council for Teachers' Salaries.
§ Mr. RossI felt obliged to exclude the Scottish Schoolmasters' Association as from 1st December from membership of the Scottish Joint Council for Teachers' Salaries, on which they provided one of the 19 teacher members, because they declined to undertake to observe the code of practice accepted by all other bodies represented on the Council in regard to the confidentiality of its proceedings. I sought this undertaking following a request from the Council at its meeting on 2nd October that the Secretary of State should take steps to prevent a recurrence of the unauthorised circulation by the Association to their members of detailed accounts of the proceedings of the Council. The Council considered that this action by the Association was prejudicial to the functioning of the Council and that it could not carry on its work in the face of such unauthorised disclosures. I acted as I did because I take the view that the work of this important Council should not be brought to a standstill.
§ Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied that the present National Joint Council for Teachers' Salaries is properly constituted, in view of Lord Johnston's judgment; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. RossI am satisfied that the Scottish Joint Council for Teachers' Salaries is properly constituted.