§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what will be the effects of his proposals to replace sickness benefit by sick pay during the first eight weeks of sickness on the net weekly incomes of civil servants and other public service employees, who at present receive tax refunds in addition to full pay while they are sick.
§ Mr. PrenticeDetails have not yet been published of the Government's proposals for a guaranteed minimum level of sick pay, subject to tax, to replace untaxed sickness benefit, but they will be available shortly in a consultative document. As employers and employees will still be free to negotiate sick pay above the statutory minimum, the net effect on the incomes of individual groups cannot at this stage be forecast.