§ 16. Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many civil servants within his Department are in receipt of basic wages of less than £25 a week.
§ Mr. DeanAbout 40,380. This figure reflects the very high proportion of young clerical and executive staff. Many of that number—some 19,590—are on pay scales with a maximum above £25 a week, and they can expect to reach that figure between the ages of 23 and 27.
§ Mr. HamiltonDoes the hon. Gentleman agree that there are many thousands of civil servants within his Department who are on basic wages substantially less than £25 a week? Indeed, some of them in local offices give out supplementary benefits in excess of their basic wages. That is a situation which will get worse under phase 2. The people at the higher figure of £25 will get no more than a £2 a week increase, which will mean a substantial reduction in the standard of living of a man on a basic wage of £25, if he has a family, over the next 12 months.
§ Mr. DeanAs I explained to the hon. Gentleman, many of these people are very young and have ahead of them good career prospects. As the hon. Gentleman knows, salaries in the Civil Service reflect the salaries of comparable employment outside.
§ Sir B. Rhys WilliamsIs not the best and the most selective way of helping people who are in need because of low wages to increase family allowances?
§ Mr. DeanMy hon. Friend knows that a good deal has been done in this area of family poverty, particularly through the family income supplement.