HC Deb 13 January 1986 vol 89 cc441-2W
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in preparing his plans for merit awards for teachers, what estimate he made of the percentage of teachers who would expect to receive merit awards within the first two years.

Mr. Chris Patten

My right hon. Friend has no such plans. He continues to look for a pay structure providing substantially more promotion opportunities for the better teachers to higher scales than are at present available combined with promotion arrangements and differentials designed to recruit, retain and motivate teachers of the right quality. The pay offer which the management panel made, with the Government's endorsement, on 12 September would have generated an extra 74,000 promotions, equal to one in five of all classroom teachers.

Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to ensure that all pupils receive at least a specified number of hours of instruction during their school career from teachers in receipt of the proposed merit payments.

Mr. Chris Patten

No.

Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to issue guidelines to examining boards on the consequences for the assessment of examination papers of the proposed introduction of merit payments for teachers and the implicit grading of the abilities of the teachers of each examinee; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chris Patten

No.