Oral Answers to Questions — National Finance. – in the House of Commons at on 17 September 1931.
Mr Daniel Hopkin
, Carmarthen
asked the President of the Board of Education what is the total sum paid in salaries to teachers in this country not governed by the Burnham scale; and if it is intended that these salaries are to be reduced by 15 per cent.?
Mr Donald Maclean
, Cornwall Northern
I have not the information to enable me to answer the first part of the question in the terms in which it is put. If, however, the hon. Member has in mind the case of supplementary teachers in elementary schools, I may say that the total sum paid in salaries to such teachers, in the financial year 1930–31, was approximately £730,000. As regards the second part of the question I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 1 of the Board's Circular 1413, of which I am sending him a copy, from which he will see that the Board's grants will be calculated on the assumption of a deduction of 15 per cent. from the aggregate total of the teachers' salaries otherwise payable.
Mr Daniel Hopkin
, Carmarthen
On what principle are some teachers penalised and others let off altogether—the teachers in the private schools?
Mr Donald Maclean
, Cornwall Northern
The same principle as applies to other cuts in the Economy Bill.
Mr Donald Maclean
, Cornwall Northern
That is so.
Mr Daniel Hopkin
, Carmarthen
asked the President of the Board of Education if he is aware that a number of teachers in Carmarthen-shire will shortly suffer considerable reductions in salary by being transferred from scale 3 to scale 2; and if he proposes to reduce the salaries of these teachers by 15 per cent. or at all?
Mr Donald Maclean
, Cornwall Northern
Under Lord Burn-ham's arbitral award of 8th December, 1927, relating, to Carmartbenshire, all teachers then paid on Scale 3 were to remain on that scale, and I am not aware that any teachers in the county will shortly suffer reduction by being transferred to Scale 2.
Mr Daniel Hopkin
, Carmarthen
Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the teachers in all industrial areas are to come down from Scale 3 to Scale 2 on 1st April of next year, and is it not a fact: that the teacher getting £432 will suffer a cut of £111, or 23½ per cent.?
Mr Donald Maclean
, Cornwall Northern
The answer is as I have given it. I am unaware of any such circumstance as my hon. Friend has mentioned.
Mr Frederick Cocks
, Broxtowe
On a point of Order. Is it in order, Mr. Speaker, when you are seated and I rise to put a supplementary question, that hon. Members opposite should shout "sit down" and create disorder?
Lieut-General Edward Fitzroy
, Daventry
The nature of some of the hon. Member's supplementary question did not encourage me to call upon him to ask any more.
Sir Albert Braithwaite
, Buckrose
asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will give an undertaking that when the financial condition of the country is again secure he will reconsider the case of the teachers' salaries, and that the present cuts are not to be regarded as permanent?
Lieut-Colonel Andrew Gault
, Taunton
asked the President of the Board of Education whether the 15 per cent. reduction in teachers' salaries is proposed by the Government as an emergency cut only and without prejudice to the rates of pension to which they are entitled under existing salaries; and if it is intended to reinstate them in their remuneration when the financial conditions of the country justify a return to the present standards of pay?
Mr Donald Maclean
, Cornwall Northern
The reduction in teachers' salaries is occasioned by the national emergency, and is not to be regarded as the view of the Government of what should be proper rates of remuneration of teachers under less abnormal conditions. The position should be reviewed on its merits when the financial position of the country allows. As regards superannuation, I would refer my hon. Friends to the written answer which I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Middleton and Prestwich (Sir N. Stewart Sandeman).
Sir GEORGE HAMILTON:
Will the right hon. Gentleman consider departmentally, as announced by the Prime Minister yesterday, whether there are any great injustices in these cuts, and, if so, will he submit his opinion to the Cabinet?
Mr Morgan Jones
, Caerphilly
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that all Members of this House have been circularised by the Association of Local Education Authorities to the effect that they consider the imposition of the cut upon the superannuation or pensions for teachers to be a gross injustice?
Mr Donald Maclean
, Cornwall Northern
With regard to the question of the hon. Member for Ilford (Sir G. Hamilton), of course the undertaking of the Prime Minister will have the fullest and authoritative consideration of the department. With regard to the second question, I am aware of the expression of opinion which the circular mentioned contains.
Lieut-Colonel Andrew Gault
, Taunton
Does the right hon. Gentleman not think that it would have been more equitable to have taken the pre-crisis rates of salaries and wages as a datum line from which to deduct a uniform cut?
Mr George Mathers
, Edinburgh West
If the financial position of the country gets worse, will further cuts be made?
Mrs Leah Manning
, Islington East
Am I to gather from the right hon. Gentleman's answer that the Government will take the initiative in restoring these salaries, just as they have taken the initiative in reducing them?
Mr Donald Maclean
, Cornwall Northern
I think that any Government when in power can safely rely on the initiative being taken by the teachers' organisation.
Mr Frederick Cocks
, Broxtowe
May I ask the Minister whether in the conversations which he has had on this subject with the Chancellor of the exchequer, he will live up to his name of "Fighting Mac"?
The Speaker is an MP who has been elected to act as Chairman during debates in the House of Commons. He or she is responsible for ensuring that the rules laid down by the House for the carrying out of its business are observed. It is the Speaker who calls MPs to speak, and maintains order in the House. He or she acts as the House's representative in its relations with outside bodies and the other elements of Parliament such as the Lords and the Monarch. The Speaker is also responsible for protecting the interests of minorities in the House. He or she must ensure that the holders of an opinion, however unpopular, are allowed to put across their view without undue obstruction. It is also the Speaker who reprimands, on behalf of the House, an MP brought to the Bar of the House. In the case of disobedience the Speaker can 'name' an MP which results in their suspension from the House for a period. The Speaker must be impartial in all matters. He or she is elected by MPs in the House of Commons but then ceases to be involved in party politics. All sides in the House rely on the Speaker's disinterest. Even after retirement a former Speaker will not take part in political issues. Taking on the office means losing close contact with old colleagues and keeping apart from all groups and interests, even avoiding using the House of Commons dining rooms or bars. The Speaker continues as a Member of Parliament dealing with constituent's letters and problems. By tradition other candidates from the major parties do not contest the Speaker's seat at a General Election. The Speakership dates back to 1377 when Sir Thomas Hungerford was appointed to the role. The title Speaker comes from the fact that the Speaker was the official spokesman of the House of Commons to the Monarch. In the early years of the office, several Speakers suffered violent deaths when they presented unwelcome news to the King. Further information can be obtained from factsheet M2 on the UK Parliament website.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
The chancellor of the exchequer is the government's chief financial minister and as such is responsible for raising government revenue through taxation or borrowing and for controlling overall government spending.
The chancellor's plans for the economy are delivered to the House of Commons every year in the Budget speech.
The chancellor is the most senior figure at the Treasury, even though the prime minister holds an additional title of 'First Lord of the Treasury'. He normally resides at Number 11 Downing Street.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
