§ Mr. Tebbitasked the Minister of State for Defence whether the Government have received a report from the Armed Forces Pay Review Body; and what decisions have been reached.
§ Mr. Ian GilmourThe Government have received a report from the Armed Forces Pay Review Body which is published today as Command Paper 5336. Copies are available in the Vote Office.
The Government accept the recommendations in the report, all of which accord with the counter-inflation policy. There will be increases in pay from 1st April 1973 for all ranks up to and including brigadier, and equivalents in the other two Services, except for medical and dental officers whose pay will be reported on separately. There will be increases in food and accommodation charges from 1st May 1973.
The pay of the women's and nursing services is being increased from the same date from 93½ per cent. to 95 per cent., exclusive of the "X" factors, of the men's rates as a further step towards equal pay. The opportunity has also been taken at this review to simplify and restructure the pay scales for apprentices and juniors and to allow for the later age at which they start to be recruited as a result of the raising of the school leaving age.
The increases in accommodation charges include the same average increase of 50p a week in basic rent as is required of tenants of local authority houses under the Housing Finance Act 1972. From 1st May 1973 when the rents increase, a rent rebate scheme is being introduced in the Services, at home and overseas, to assist those Servicemen whose rent is high in relation to their income and family commitments. The scheme is on similar lines to the local authority schemes required by the Housing Finance Act 1972.
301WThe Government are most grateful to the members of the Review Body on Armed Forces Pay for their work in preparing their report.