§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to review the payment of annual salary increments to teachers in the context of his performance-related pay proposals; and if he will make a statement. [63612]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisI refer my hon. Friend to the statement my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made to the House on 3 December 1998,Official Report, columns 1041–44, about the Government's consultation on the reform of the teaching profession. In that statement I indicated that we proposed two pay ranges for classroom teachers, separated by a new performance threshold. Up to the threshold, we would expect teachers normally to progress through annual salary increments, as now. To cross the threshold, we would expect teachers to demonstrate high and sustained levels of achievement and commitment. Further steps on the higher pay scale would be based on appraisal of performance.