§ Mr. Pattieasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Chertsey and Walton on 5th April 1976, he will now state the number of officers whose income has been frozen, and how many of those had had to pay increased charges during the period in question.
§ Mr. Wellbeloved, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 7th May 1976; Vol. 910, c. 477], gave the following information:
During the year of the pay policy from 1st August 1975 it is estimated that approximately 2,250 Service officers will be affected by the £8,500 a year ceiling on incomes. This estimate includes some 1,200 officers whose increments have been restricted in whole or in part: about 1,000 officers who are not eligible for the £6 a week supplement announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in his Written Answer on 3rd May [c. 223–4] and 63 officers whose pay is the subject of recommendations by the Top Salaries Review Body. Increased charges for food and accommodation recommended 370W by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body in its Fourth and Fifth Reports (Cmnd. 6063 and Cmnd. 6470, effective from 1st April 1975 and 1st April 1976 respectively) apply to all officers but whether they are required to pay them depends on personal circumstances. Many officers can be assumed to be living in their own homes and those living in Service married quarters buy their own food. Information on the numbers required to pay increased charges is therefore not readily available.