Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on what basis the approximate estimate of £3,000,000 as the annual cost of equal pay when in full operation in the non-industrial classes of the Civil Service was arrived at; whether, in addition to the grant of equal pay to the common classes, which was the subject of debate in the House of Commons on the 1st April, 1936, it also includes the concession of sympathetic 1820W increases to classes reserved to women; and whether he is aware that the cost of equal pay for the common classes would be something under £1,500,000 a year, or about 2 per cent. of the total salaries and wages bill when in full operation and considerably less initially?
§ Captain WallaceThe estimate £3,000,000 made allowance for the cost of possible sympathetic increases to classes reserved to women. As stated by the Treasury to the Royal Commission on the Civil Service, slightly over one-half of the total estimated cost was attributable to such classes. The initial cost would depend on the method of application of the principle of equal pay, and would no doubt be less than the ultimate cost.