§ Mr. Lyellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total wages and salaries element in the public expenditure estimates as set out in the last line (Total programmes) of table 2 of Cmnd. 7746 for 1979–80 and 1980–81.
§ Mr. Biffen£21,566, million and £21,520 million at 1979 survey prices in 1979–80 and 1980–81 respectively. Wages and salaries are defined as including employers' contributions to national insurance and to occupational pension schemes, the national insurance surcharge and, in the case of pension schemes like those for the Armed Forces and civil servants, actual pensions paid.
§ Mr. Lyellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the effect on overall public expenditure, expressed as in table 2 of Cmnd. 7746, if wages and salaries in the public sector increase by 5 per cent. less than the increase in the retail prices index between 1979–80 and 1980–81.
§ Mr. BiffenThe figures presented in Cmnd. 7746 are at constant 1979 survey prices. This enables discussion to focus on the volume content of the programmes leaving aside past price changes and future rates of inflation. The effect on figures in this particular form of increasing wages 213W and salaries by 5 per cent. less than the increase in the retail prices index between 1979–80 and 1980–81 is therefore nil.