§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received during the past five years about the differing treatment of the dependants of male and female contributors to the teachers' superannuation scheme; and what response he has made.
§ Mr. DunnDuring the past five years we have received many letters from individual teachers and hon. Members on this subject. In addition the teachers' unions have pressed for equalisation of family benefits, notably within the teachers' superannuation working party on which the Department and employers are also represented. My right hon. Friend has accepted that in principle there should be equality in the treatment of dependants as in all other features of the scheme, but has said that the consequential costs cannot be ignored. To date, neither the teachers nor employers have expressed a willingness to bear any share of the increased contributions that would be required.
§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate the cost of providing equal treatment for the dependants of male and female contributors to the teachers' superannuation scheme.
§ Mr. DunnThe Government Actuary has calculated that to provide the dependants of female members who die in future with all those benefits available to the dependants of male members would initially cost some £3.4 million per annum rising on maturity of the family benefits provisions to about £65 million per annum; and that this would increase the contributions required to cover the costs of teachers' superannuation by 0.7 per cent. of salary for all members.