asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will give an assurance that school teachers, lecturers in colleges of education, the Northern Ireland polytechnic and technical colleges will receive the back pay due to them under the Houghton Report before the end of March;(2) what is the actual date when the arrears of salary increases recommended by the Houghton Report are to be paid to teachers in the Province.

The Department of Education intends to make these payments on 26th March to teachers paid by it. Payments of teaching staff in voluntary grammar schools, colleges of education and the Northern Ireland polytechnic is the responsibility of the authorities of those institutions.