LOCAL MSP WELCOMES £1300 EXTRA EARNINGS FOR SCOTTISH TEACHERS

HIGHER PAY IN MIDLOTHIAN AND EAST LOTHIAN PUTS £82.4 MILLION INTO LOCAL ECONOMY.

SNP MSP Colin Beattie has welcomed the news that teachers in Midlothian and East Lothian are paid £1,350-a-year more than the UK average teaching salary.
 
UK government figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the average annual salary for full-time Scottish teachers and other education professionals is £41,350. This compares with a UK average of just more than £40,000.
 
That extra £1,350 for for 985 teachers in Midlothian and 1,008 teachers in East Lothian represents about an extra £1.3 million for Midlothian Council and £1.4 million for East Lothian Council to support the local economy.
 
In total, the combined salaries paid to Midlothian and East Lothian teachers means £82.4 Million for the local economy.
 
Commenting, Colin Beattie said:
 
“This is great news for teachers in Midlothian and East Lothian and it boosts the local economy by £2.7 Million.
 
“That cash injection would not be available with Tory control. And, as we have already seen with their post-Brexit laws, Westminster is bypassing the democratically-elected Scottish Government to allocate money based on Tory priorities.
 
“We have also seen what they have done in the north of England by cutting back on their promises of greater rail investment. They did the similar in the Highlands in the 1990s when they had control of that money. The lesson is clear: Westminster control means cuts not cash.
 
“The £71million difference in pay between Scotland and what teachers would get in England is clear evidence that the SNP Scottish Government is prioritising its investment in Scottish education and the future of the nation’s young people.
 
“Our commitment to Scotland’s teachers continues to pay off as the attainment gap continues to narrow, a record number of pupils from the most deprived backgrounds go on to further education and more are leaving with one Higher or more.

“Attracting and retaining good quality teachers is paramount and providing competitive salary levels is a key component in delivering that.

“The whole nation is grateful for the incredible job teachers across the country have done over the pandemic. In hugely difficult and trying circumstances their commitment and dedication has been commendable and we owe them a debt of gratitude.

“Despite the constant knocking tactics of opposition parties continually undermining it, Scottish education has so much to be proud of.”