§ Mr. Stratton Millsasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set out in the OFFICIAL REPORT the number of weeks which a school teacher is entitled to have for sick leave in the first four years; how this compares with the model scheme operated in England; and if he will make a statement on the progress which has been made on the review of the arrangements for teachers' sick leave at present being considered by the Standing Committee on Teachers' Salaries.
§ Mr. David HowellDuring the first four years of his appointment, a full-time qualified teacher in a grant-aided school in Northern Ireland who is absent because of illness is entitled to receive salary at the full rate for a period of six months and at one-half of the full rate for a further period of six months in any period of four years' service.
In England and Wales, the model scheme which governs the payment of allowances to full-time teachers during absence because of illness entitles a teacher to receive in any period of one year commencing 1st April an allowance in accordance with the following scale.
579W
Number of working days on Service Full pay Half pay During first year 25 50 [after completing 4 months' service) During second year 50 50 During third year 75 75 During fourth and successive years 100 100 This scale is a minimum. An education authority has discretion to extend its application in any individual case.
I understand that the question of revised arrangements for teachers' sick leave has already been discussed by the Teachers' Salary Council, which is the representative body of the various teachers' organisations in Northern Ireland and which nominates the teachers' representatives to the Standing Committee on Teachers' Salaries. It is the intention of the council to put its proposals to the standing committee at the first possible opportunity.
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the model scheme of sick leave regulations and the delays which are being encountered in getting this scheme applied to teachers employed in Belfast.
§ Mr. David HowellI understand that the model scheme which governs the payment of allowances to full-time teachers in England and Wales during absence because of illness is in general less generous to teachers in the early years of service than the present Northern Ireland provisions, but more generous thereafter. An education authority in England and Wales, however, has discretion to extend the minimum provisions of the model scheme in any individual case.
I understand that sick leave entitlement has been placed on the agenda for the next meeting of the Standing Committee on Teachers' Salaries. Any recommendations made by the standing committee will be considered by the Ministry of Education, which is responsible for making the regulations governing this matter.
§ Rev. Ian Paisleyasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many substantive teachers in grant-aided schools and institutions in Northern Ireland have had any length of service on half pay since 4th January 1973 and if he will state the date on which the Northern Ireland Office received a representation on the matter.
§ Mr. David HowellThe number of full-time teachers with service on half-580W pay due to sick leave since 4th January 1973 is as follows:
Period on Half-Pay No of Teachers Less than 1 month 44 1 month but less than 2 months 14 2 months but less than 3 months 11 3 months but less than 4 months 7 4 months but less than 5 months 3 5 months but less than 6 months 2 6 months 2 Representations on the subject of entitlement to sick leave were made to my hon. Friend in a letter dated 4th January 1973.