Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) representatives of the devolved governments, and (2) trade unions, regarding the geographical discrepancies in starting salaries for teachers across the UK.

The School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) makes recommendations on Teachers’ Pay and Conditions in maintained schools in England. If my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, agrees to these recommendations they are implemented through the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document.

In 2023/24, the government fully accepted the STRB’s recommendations for teachers’ and leaders’ pay awards.

This means that teachers and leaders in maintained schools received a pay award of 6.5% this academic year, the highest pay award for teachers in over thirty years.

This award also delivered the government’s manifesto commitment of a minimum £30,000 starting salary for school teachers in all regions of the country, with a pay award of up to 7.1% for new teachers outside London.

Teacher pay is a devolved matter in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and is not affected by this pay award. Any decisions on pay within the education sector of devolved administrations is a matter for their national governments to decide upon. Departmental officials have regular contact and discussions with their devolved administration counterparts on developments on respective pay and conditions policy.

The department engages with unions regarding pay and other matters throughout the year. Furthermore, all statutory consultees (including unions) have the opportunity to provide written and oral evidence to the STRB and are consulted on the department’s proposals for pay and conditions.