Teachers' Pay (Hansard, 1 April 1993)

§ Mr. Patten

On 12 February, the Prime Minister announced that the Government proposed to implement, with modifications, the recommendations of the School Teachers' Review Body for teachers' pay in England and Wales for 1993–94. After careful consideration of the representations I have received from the local authorities, the teachers' associations and others, I remain convinced that the restructuring recommended by the STRB is the right way forward, and I intend to implement it on 1 September 1993. In the light of the observations that have been made to me, I have decided to ease the introduction of the new pay spine by offering some flexibility in the assimilation arrangements, where this proves necessary.

Firstly, there will be cash safeguarding to ensure that no teacher will be worse off under the new arrangements on 1 September than if the old structure had been left in place. This safeguarding will be lifted as soon as a teacher's points entitlement under the new system overtakes the safeguarded salary.

Secondly, while LEAs and schools are expected to implement the new structure, they may, if necessary, preserve the discretionary inner London supplement for one more year as a separate allowance of £822 for the teachers who now hold it, instead of converting it into an extra spine point. No new payments will be authorised, but the new system will permit a third point on the spine to be awarded for recruitment or retention in inner London schools.

Thirdly, discretionary scale points may also be preserved for one more year at their 31 August cash value, instead of being converted automatically into new spine points. There will be no new awards of discretionary scale points. The new structure will permit up to three spine points to be awarded for excellence, which in many cases will overtake the discretionary scale points from 1 September.

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These changes will not significantly vary the cost of the award, which falls within the 0–1.5 per cent. range for pay settlements in the public sector.

In response to requests for clarification of entitlement to the mandatory spine point for teachers of pupils in ordinary schools with special educational needs, I have decided that the new school teachers' pay and conditions document will define such entitlement in terms of those wholly or mainly teaching pupils with statements of special educational needs.

I am today laying before Parliament a pay and conditions order bringing into force the new rates of pay which will apply from 1 April, and providing for lump sum payments of £90 to be made to qualified classroom teachers in May. Copies of this order, and details of the revised arrangements for the introduction of the new pay spine in September, are being sent to all maintained schools, to all local education authorities and to the teachers' and employers' associations.

Drafts of the school teachers' pay and conditions document 1993, which will set out the details of the new pay structure which is to apply from 1 September and will provide for assimilation from the old structure to the new, and of the associated circular of guidance, will shortly be sent to the relevant teachers' and employers' associations and to representatives of the governors of voluntary schools and grant-maintained schools.