§ 2.42 p.m.
§ Lord CHALFONTMy Lords, before I ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper, may I, with leave, point out the inaccuracy of a reference in it. The reference should be to the "Armed Forces Pay Review Body" and not "Board". I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question, as corrected, was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Government expects the report of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body to be published.
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, the Armed Forces Pay Review Body is expected to report to the Prime Minister very shortly. The Government will then have to consider the recommendations and, in accordance with the usual practice, it is expected that the report will be published simultaneously with the announcement of Her Majesty's Government's decision on it.
§ Lord CHALFONTMy Lords, while thanking the noble Baroness for that somewhat Delphic reply, may I ask her to deny categorically a report which is circulating at the moment in the Armed Forces at very high level, that a public report upon the deliberations of the Armed Services Pay Review Body has been postponed indefinitely?
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, I can immediately reassure the noble Lord on this. Since the timing of the report has always been a matter for the Review Body, there has never been any definite date for submission. This remains the case. However, I understand, as I said in my original Answer, that the report is likely to be submitted very soon, and the Government will then press forward with their consideration of it so that the announcement of the pay award can be made as soon as possible.
§ Lord ORR-EWINGMy Lords, does the noble Baroness remember that this Government were elected on an "open-government" policy? Would it not, perhaps, be realistic to publish this report, so that the country as a whole could have the chance of considering it before the Government come to their conclusion?
§ Baroness STEDMANMy Lords, I have no doubt that the findings of the Review Body will be published when the Government have made their pronouncement on it. The Armed Forces Pay Review Body is an independent body. The Government cannot dictate when it shall make its report or whether it will be published; but we are as concerned as any Member of this House in getting a satisfactory result from the Armed Forces Pay Review Body's report, and we hope to be able to make an announcement about an increase very shortly.