§ Q36. Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the negotiations on teachers' pay in Scotland.
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has responded positively to the teachers' request for a review of pay by proposing that both pay and conditions of service should be looked at by the Scottish joint negotiating committee for teaching staff in school education. I understand that, at a meeting of the SJNC on 7 February, the management side outlined proposals for following up my right hon. Friend's suggestion. I very much hope that Scottish teachers will now agree to take this way forward and will call off their damaging and pointless industrial action.