DROITWICH Spa's MP says high teacher salaries in Worcestershire are a 'killer fact' in the battle for a fairer deal.

Tory MP Peter Luff said staff pay packets across the county have swelled by 27 per cent since 1999 and he's calling on the Government to match funding deals given to Warwickshire and Gloucestershire education authorities.

"Teacher salary scales are set nationally," he said."But Worcestershire's teachers do tend to be longer serving, so they receive the pay appropriate to their experience.

"Local schools also have to offer higher salaries to new teachers because, at a time of teacher shortages, they are in competition with schools in neighbouring and much better funded education authorities for the same teachers."

During the first week of June, Mr Luff plans to raise the issue in the House of Commons.