§ 23. Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he next plans to meet representatives of the Association of County Councils to discuss the teachers' pay dispute.
§ Sir Keith JosephI shall be meeting representatives of the Association with an observer from the Association of 347W Metropolitan Authorities on 1 July 1985. This will complement a meeting which I held with representatives of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities which an observer from the Association of County Councils.
§ 24. Mr. Campbell-Savoursasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the current position in the teachers' pay dispute.
§ 44. Mr. Lathamasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the teachers' dispute.
§ 56. Mr. Spencerasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the current situation in the teachers' strike.
§ 58. Mrs. Clwydasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to resolve the teachers' pay dispute.
§ Sir Keith JosephI refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friends the Members for Harborough (Sir J. Farr), for Wokingham (Sir van Straubenezee), and for Christchurch (Mr. Adley), the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Barnet) and my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mr. Proctor).
§ 41. Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now initiate discussions with the trade unions concerned to seek to resolve the teachers' dispute.
§ Sir Keith JosephI offered to meet the teacher unions along with the employers on 9 May, to discuss pay matters. In the event the unions did not attend. I have also made clear my willingness to discuss with them my 21 May letter to employers about the possibility of additional funding for next year. So far only the Secondary Heads Association has indicated a wish to meet on that basis. The union majority instead pursues an unrealistic claim for a 1985 settlement.
§ 50. Mr. Flanneryasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, if he will make more funds available to end the industrial dispute of the teachers.
§ Sir Keith JosephI undertook last July to seek extra resources for an acceptable and affordable reform of the teachers' salary structure, the clearer definition of teachers' duties and responsibilities and the introduction of performance appraisal. But no agreed proposals have come forward and teachers' pay for 1985–86 must be accommodated within the resources available to local education authorities. Last month I made public that additional resources would be available for teachers' pay next year if agreement in principle can be reached by October on a reform of the current pay system designed to help achieve the Government's educational objectives and to provide improved promotion opportunities for good teachers.