§ Mr. McQuarrieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in the scientific and professional council in the claim by speech therapists for equal pay.
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§ Mr. John MackayI understand that staff side interests representing speech therapists met the management side of the scientific and professional staffs Whitley Council on 24 March to amplify their claim for pay parity with other graduate National Health Service professions.
At the same time, however, two test cases had been lodged with industrial tribunals claiming equal pay for speech therapists with the professions. The management side of the Whitley Council have therefore declined to respond formally to the claim until they are clear about the implications of these referrals to industrial tribunals and have taken the necessary advice from the sources available to them.