§ 58. Mrs. Virginia Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to review his policy and procedures with regard to independent schools' use of the teachers' superannuation fund.
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§ Mrs. RumboldMy right hon. Friend has no plans to reconsider the basis on which independent schools may participate in the teachers' superannuation scheme.
He is however reviewing the Department's procedures for monitoring the salary progression of teachers approaching retirement. Pension benefits depend in part on teachers' final salaries, and some schools have recently increased the salaries of teachers approaching retirement. Where he considers salary to have been increased unreasonably my right hon. Friend has power to direct that pension benefits should be based on a lower salary.