Let’s start repaying them by giving the Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme a write-up credit to restore the notional fund (currently Pounds 35 billion) to the value it would have reached had the Government credited it with a level of investment return (Pounds 117.5 billion) in line with other large UK pension funds. Why shouldn’t the Government pick up the bill? They’ve been robbing the fund for the past 70 years!

Gillian Shephard finally admits that we need a balanced variety of youth and experience in our schools. So why doesn’t the Government pay actual salaries to schools instead of the inequitable average salaries so that schools can afford to employ both new and old teachers?

Finally, does Mrs Shephard really think that by repeating her glowing praise of teachers she will correct 18 years of Conservative denigration of the profession?

M W ROBINSON The Flat 12 Neston Road Willaston South Wirral