HC Deb 28 July 1922 vol 157 c830W
Captain LOSEBY

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many administrative and technical officials, respectively, in his Department are in receipt of emoluments, including bonus, of £1,000 per annum or over; and how many of each category are permanent and how many temporary officials?

Captain GUEST

The answer to the first question is: Administrative, 37; technical, 20; to the second, that all the former and seven of the latter are permanent officials. Under the heading "Administrative," I have grouped the secretariat, including finance, etc., and have used the term "technical" in the sense of my answer to my hon. and gallant Friend on the 26th July.

Captain LOSEBY

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that, whilst the salaries of temporary technical officers in his Department have recently been substantially reduced, many permanent administrative officials have just received promotion with substantial increases in salary; how many permanent officials have participated in this increase; what is the amount of the increment in each case; and what is the reason for this discrimination adversely affecting highly-qualified technical officers?

Captain GUEST

The answer to the first question is that the permanent officials of my Department in receipt of less than £500 a year have recently been regraded, not promoted, and in connection with the regrading, which is the result of a recommendation of the National Whitley Council and applies to the whole Civil Service, have become entitled to certain increases of pay; to the second, 72, these being selected officers out of a total of 532, the remainder of whom have not received increases; to the third, that the increases vary with each individual case and range from £14 to £152 a year; to the last, that there has been no such discrimination as is alleged, the reduction in the pay of the technical officers being less than that suffered by the permanent officials in the periodical re-adjustment of their salaries on the cost-of-living basis.