§ Mr. CannTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress he has made on reforming teachers' pay. [109246]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisThe Green Paper "Teachers: meeting the challenge of change" (Cm 4161) published in December 1998 outlined our proposals for reform of the teaching profession. Following extensive consultation with representatives of teachers and teachers' employers on the proposals, the Department for Education and Employment submitted detailed evidence on pay reform to the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) last September. This evidence contained revised proposals on the pay structure and responded to issues raised through the consultation process.
The STRB's Ninth Report was published on 1 February. The report is a major endorsement for the Government's reforms, and the Government have accepted the recommendations with only minor modifications. Copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of the Houses of Parliament. The Secretary of State has initiated consultation with key stakeholders including teacher unions and employers on the STRB's recommendations. The consultation ends on 7 March.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the National Union of Teachers representations on the Government's proposals on performance-related pay. [109570]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisThe Government's proposals for teachers' pay reform were initially outlined in the Green Paper, "Teachers: meeting the challenge of change" (Cm 4164). We have discussed our proposals extensively with all teacher unions and other key stakeholders. The NUT's evidence to the independent pay body, the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB), was considered alongside that of other statutory consultees when the STRB drew up their recommendations, which were published on 1 February 2000. Ministers and officials will continue to meet unions and other consultees as part of the consultation on the STRB recommendations. The consultation ends on 7 March.