HC Deb 22 March 1996 vol 274 c365W
Mr. Legg

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the outcome of her consultation in respect of the school teachers review body's recommendation on schoolteachers' pay. [22931]

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

I am today confirming that I am accepting the schoolteachers' pay review body's recommendation to increase teachers' pay by 3.75 per cent. with higher increases at the lower end of the classroom teachers' spine. This award will be staged so that most teachers will receive 2.75 per cent. on 1 April 1996 and the remainder of the award on 1 December 1996. I will lay an order before Parliament which will give the values of the new spine points and allowances with effect from 1 April 1996 and 1 December 1996.

I am writing to the teacher associations, the National Employers Organisation for School Teachers and the head teachers and chairmen of governors of all schools in England and Wales notifying them of my decision. Officials will be writing to other interested parties.

I have received a number of representations about the level of the award and the staging of it and considered them carefully. The Government have decided to stage the pay awards for all the review body groups this year. The recommendations represented a marked step up in the level of public sector pay settlements, compared with last year, with a substantial cost to public expenditure programmes. Phasing the increase will also make it more manageable for local education authorities and schools.

I have also received a number of representations about my other proposals for teachers' pay and conditions in 1996–97 including my proposals to introduce half points on the classroom teachers' spine with effect from 1 September 1996 and to allow teachers moving schools or returning to teaching after a break voluntarily to surrender discretionary experience points for non-teaching service. A number of complex issues have been raised which I wish to consider in detail. I will make a further announcement in due course on my decisions with regard to these and my other proposals for teachers' pay and conditions in 1996–97.

I am announcing my confirmation of the pay award immediately because I want teachers to receive the first stage of their pay increase as soon as possible after 1 April 1996.