§ Mr. GillTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the estimated cost is of performance-related pay for teachers in Shropshire in 2000–01; and how this will be funded. [98166]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisTeachers with the maximum nine salary points for qualifications and experience will be entitled to apply for the new performance threshold. The School Teachers' Review Body is currently considering the Government's proposal that all teachers who meet the threshold standards should receive a salary increase of up to £2,000, and have access to a new upper pay spine. There will be no quota of threshold successes at either540W national or local level. It is not possible therefore to give a total cost for Shropshire in advance; this will depend upon the number of teachers who pass the threshold. We will establish a Special Grant to target resources for the performance threshold separately from schools' delegated budgets. Schools will be able to draw extra funds from the Special Grant via their Local Education Authority for each teacher promoted through the threshold to the upper pay spine.