§ Mr. Pattieasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, for every year since 1970, the average percentage by which Armed Forces pay has fallen behind comparable civilian pay.
§ Mr. Mulley:The Armed Forces Pay Review Body is responsible for recommending to the Government appropriate increases in the pay of the Armed Forces, based on its comparison with earnings in jobs of equivalent skill and responsibility in civil life. Only in 1972, 1975, 1978—and to a partial extent in 1974—did the Review Body set out the full comparative figures. On this basis the average increases recommended to bring the Armed Forces to the level of full pay comparability are as follows:—
1972 11 per cent. 1974 11 per cent. (for officers only) 1975 29.5 per cent. 1978 32 per cent. In 1972 and 1975 the Armed Forces achieved their full comparable pay rates and in 1978 the Government approved that they would achieve their full and updated comparable pay rates in two equal stages by 1980.