Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Monday 11th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[Nick Gibb]

We rely on the expertise of the School Teachers Review Body. It reported in July and we responded to that review. It has recommended increasing the pay bands in the main pay range by 2%, and by 1% for the remaining pay bands. Pay is of course important, but it is not the only factor that drives teachers in or out of the profession. Others include workload and pupil behaviour, and we also take those issues seriously.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Can more creative use be made of the price mechanism in those subjects with shortages?

[Nick Gibb]

We have generous tax-free bursaries, which we use imaginatively, and we reflect the challenges of recruiting the best graduates into teaching. Bursaries of up to £25,000 are available for graduates in those priority subjects.