§ Mr. R. C. Morrisonasked the Secretary of State for Air if the recent reductions in pay of certain R.A.F. personnel have now been restored; and whether he has any statement to make.
§ Captain BalfourThere have not been any reductions in the pay of R.A.F. personnel, but as stated in the White Paper there have been some increases in the qualifying allotments in order to attain inter-Service uniformity. As I explained to the hon. and gallant Member for Henley (Sir G. Fox) on 24th May, the increased allotments will not come into effect until July, when the increased family allowances will actually be in payment, although the wives will benefit as if the increased allotments had been made from 4th May. The qualifying allotment for airmen on rates of pay ranging from 7s. to 8s. a day will be raised from 1s. a day to 1s. 6d. a day instead of to 1s. 9d. as previously announced. And those on rates of pay from 8s. to 9s. a day will remain at is. 6d. instead of being increased to 1s. 9d. as also previously announced. These adjustments denote no change of policy. These are necessary in order to rectify a mistake which was made in the original calculations.