§ 51. Mr. W. J. Brownasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken to remedy the under-payment of the professional and technical grades of the Civil Service, which was criticised in a recent Report of the Public Accounts Committee.
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Anderson)I think my hon. Friend must be referring to the Sixteenth Report from the Select Committee on National Expenditure. That Report states that the criticism had been made that salaries paid to technical officers in the Civil Service were too low, but that the Committee had not had an opportunity of going into the matter in detail. They added that they regarded it as fundamental that there should be a reasonable relation between the salaries paid by Government and industrial firms respectively, and concluded by recommending that the alleged inadequacy of salaries paid to technical officers should be investigated. Since the date of that Report certain salaries of scientific posts which are of the highest importance, have been increased. Various measures have also been taken to improve the position of temporary officers whom the Committee appear to have had particularly in mind. In addition the general question of remuneration in the professional and technical grades is under consideration.
§ Mr. BrownWhen does the right hon. Gentleman think he will be able to make a statement covering the technical and professional grades as a whole? It is many months since the report was issued.
§ Sir J. AndersonYes it is, but I think the hon. Member will realise that the subject is an important one and that it is difficult to deal with all professional and technical grades, as if they were in a watertight compartment. I cannot make any specific promise.
§ Sir J. AndersonI shall do my best to give as satisfactory an answer as I have just given.
§ Dr. Edith SummerskillIs the question of equal pay being taken into consideration during these discussions?
§ Sir J. AndersonNo.