§ Q4. Mr. Christopher Priceasked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 May.
§ The Prime MinisterI refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave some moments ago.
§ Mr. PriceCan the Prime Minister explain the curious logic of the present public sector pay policy? What is the logic of tearing up the negotiating machinery for the Civil Service while respecting that of the Armed Services? What is the logic of limiting to 7 per cent. the pay of the Civil Service and other groups, while allowing 11 per cent. or even more to other public servants in the Armed Services, or public servants who have a little more industrial clout? How can she expect to solve the Civil Service dispute with twisted logic of that nature?
§ The Prime MinisterI shall be making a statement shortly, when the reports have been printed, about the parts of the public service which are the subject of reviews by independent review bodies. We feel that a Civil Service award of 7 per cent. is as much as the private sector can afford to finance at present. That award is on top of previous awards of 50 per cent. during the past two years. The Civil Service may have complaints against the last Government concerning inadequate pay, but we do not believe that it has complaints against this Government. Incidentally, I understand from Chancellor Schmidt that the German Civil Service has just settled for 4.3 per cent.