§ Mr. Normantonasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether he will tabulate the monthly cost of living and heating allowance, annual child allowance and monthly education allowance being paid in 1977 to serving officers of the rank of colonel, brigadier and major-general, who are married with two 198W children of secondary school age in the following cities: Brussels, Luxembourg, Bonn, La Spezia, Rome and The Hague;
(2) whether he will tabulate the monthly rents being paid in 1977 for the accommodation of serving officers of the rank of colonel, brigadier and major-general who are married with two children of secondary school age in the following cities: Brussels, Luxembourg, Bonn, La Spezia, Rome and The Hague.
§ Mr. MulleyExcept where members of the Forces are loaned to other Governments, allowances and charges for members serving outside the United Kingdom fall into two broad categories: those applying to normal Service appointments, and those covering a representational—usually an attache—function. For the first category the aim is to enable them to maintain broadly the same living standards as in the United Kingdom; for the second the arrangements are partly derived from those designed for the Diplomatic Service, and are addressed to an overseas standard.
In keeping with this approach, the costs to a married officer or Service man in the first category who is living in rented accommodation are kept, through rent allowance, at or about the level of the charge he could normally expect to pay for a Service quarter. The rent paid to the owner of a particular property and the levels of rent allowance generally will reflect local market values. The position on fuel and light charges is similar, the criterion here being what the average man in the rank concerned could expect to pay at home. Other differences between home and overseas costs, including those attributable to eligible children accompanying their parents, are covered by local overseas allowance (LOA). Pay, and allowances payable locally, are converted at the force's fixed rate of exchange (FFR) for the country concerned.
Officers in representational appointments receive local allowances (LA) to compensate them for local living costs and this provides for a child addition for each eligible child after the first living at post. Accommodation and fuel and light are provided free of charge and this is taken into account in the calculation of local allowance.
Both categories can qualify for boarding school allowance which is payable 199W in sterling at a current maximum rate of £88.50 monthly for each of the first two eligible children in the family.
In Luxembourg, La Spezia and The Hague, there are no officers with two children in the ranks covered by the Questions—or in their RN and RAF equivalents. In Brussels and Rome there
Cost of Living (2 child rate) LOA Allowance (Annual) LA Quartering Charge (Annual) ‡ £ £ £ Brussels Major-General … … … … 8,249.00 — 1,043.90 (Type 2) Brigadier … … … … 8,051.90 — 923.45 (Type 3) Colonel … … … … 7,854.80 — 923.45 (Type 3) Bonn Major General … … … … 5,026.05 — 1,043.90 (Type 2) Captain RN … … … … — 4,748.00* —† Rome Major General … … … … 5,037.00 — 1,043.90 (Type 2) Brigadier … … … … 4,960.35 — 923.45 (Type 3) Colonel … … … … 4,642.80 — 923.45 (Type 3) * Includes second child addition of £355. † Post hiring at DM 974 per month. ‡ The types of quarter and annual rates quoted are for officers "not in command". For officers "in command" the appropriate quarters and annual charges would be as follows:—
Major General—Type 1 … … … … £1,164.35 Brigadier and colonel—Type 2 … … … … £1,043.90