§ 16. Mr. Tim Rentonasked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will have discussions with the Civil Service regarding its incremental salary increases being voluntarily included within the 4+ per cent. maximum permitted by the new incomes policy.
§ The Minister of State, Civil Service Department (Mr. Charles R. Morris)No, Sir.
As we have already made clear, civil servants will continue to be subject to the same incomes restraint as applies to the rest of the community. This allows incremental systems which do not add to the pay bill to continue. In the circumstances, I can see no useful basis for discussions as suggested by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. RentonIs it not correct to say that many in the public sector can and do receive annual increments on top of their pay settlements? Would it not have been much fairer if in the private and public sectors such annual increments were considered to be part of the pay policy rather than payable on top of it?
§ Mr. MorrisThe point I wish to reiterate is that the Civil Service is treated in precisely the same way as employees in the private sector. The policy has been laid down by the Government and endorsed by the Trades Union Congress.