Runairea' Chaibineit airson Foghlaim agus lonnsachadh Fad-bheatha Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning

Michael Russell MSP/BPA

FIT: 0845 7741741

E: scottish.ministers@scotland.gsLgov.uk

Ms Kezia Dugdale MSP The Scottish Parliament EDINBURGH EH991SP

Ur faidhle/Your ref: ST-25/08/11 Ar;Jaidhle/Our ref: 20-11/1-016087 September 2011

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Thank you for your letter of 25 August 2011 outlining the concerns of some of your constituents about the recent Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) agreement on teachers pay and conditions. I fully recognise the important contribution that all teachers in Scotland make to the education of our children and young people. I am sure your constituents will appreciate that given the current financial climate and reductions in overall public sector budget for Scotland that constraints on pay bills across public sector organisations have been necessary. There are around 470,000 public sector staff paid from the Scottish Government's budget. As their pay bill costs account for a significant proportion of the budget, constraining expenditure on pay has been critical. We recognise the impact of the two-year pay freeze in the current economic conditions on take-home pay but have needed to act to tightly constrain public sector pay in a way that is fair and helps sustain public sector jobs and protect public services in the face of deep budget cuts. No doubt your constituents will be aware that pay restraint has been applied throughout the public sector, not just in Scotland, but across the UK. The SNCT is the tripartite body which includes representation from the Scottish Government, COSLA and the teachers' organisations and which has responsibility for collectively negotiating teachers' salaries and conditions of service in Scotland. The SNCT reached an agreement on pay and changes to conditions of service on 26 May 2011. My priority throughout the discussions leading to the agreement, and in the face of the severest of budget cuts imposed by the UK Government, was to protect teacher employment and minimise the impact on their terms and conditions. The Scottish Government in fact provided 15.31 m to help reduce the impact of the changes.

Taigh Naomh Anndrais, Rathad Regent, Dun Eideann EH1 30G St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 30G www.scotland.gov.uk

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Whilst I understand the concerns raised, I believe that the agreement reached by the SNCT was the best achievable in such difficult circumstances and it will protect teaching posts whilst reducing costs. I hope this reply is helpful

MICHAEL RUSSELL

Taigh Naomh Anndrais, Rathad Regent, Dun Eideann EHl 3DG St Andrew's House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EHl 3DG www.scotland.gov.uk

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