To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for what reasons there are differences in teacher pay rates between local authorities in England; and if he will make a statement. (163823)

There are four long-established teacher pay areas, covering Inner London, Outer London, the “Fringe” (extending to certain parts of the Home Counties), and the rest of England and Wales (as defined in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document). Each of the four pay areas has, since 2004, had its own pay scales. The differences between pay scales broadly relate to differing economic circumstances linked to labour market conditions and cost of living pressures. Changes to the actual pay scales follow recommendations made by the independent School Teachers’ Review Body.

Any other differences that may arise between average pay rates in local authorities will be down to differences in the composition of the teaching work force, and, in the case of the limited number of authorities which have both ‘Fringe’ and England and Wales pay areas within their borders, the composition of the pay areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make a statement on teachers’ pay from September 2008. (165076)

We have received the School Teachers’ Review Body’s detailed recommendations covering teachers’ pay from 2008. We are not in a position to announce our response until we have considered them further within the wider context of the Government’s approach to public sector pay.