§ Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement about his negotiations over the pay settlement for the scientific Civil Service.
§ Mr. ChannonThe union representing Civil Service scientists—the Institution of Professional Civil Servants—has claimed pay increases for all scientist grades based on those awarded, as a result of pay research, to the administration group. For all but two grades, my Department has already agreed to 17W the substance of the IPCS proposal and is authorising payment of the first two stages of the 1979 Civil Service pay settlement—9 per cent. plus, where appropriate, £1 a week, from 1 April and 5 per cent. from 1 August—from the due dates. As soon as precise salary scales have been agreed, the payment of the balance from 1 January 1980 will be authorised.
A genuine misunderstanding has, however, arisen over the remaining twogrades—the principal scientific officer and senior scientific officer—about the implications for this year's pay settlement of correspondence exchanged last year between my Department and the union. I have, as a gesture of good will, offered exactly what the IPCS has claimed—provided only that we get a clear agreement to avoid future repercussions and misunderstandings.
There was, therefore, no justification whatsoever for the strike the IPCS called on Friday, 22 June. I hope very much that its representatives will now accept my offer.