HC Deb 14 March 1980 vol 980 cc748-9W
Mr. Michael Brown

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement about Civil Service pay and cash limits.

Mr. Channon

The Government will be presenting, in 1980–81 Main Estimates, a single Vote covering pay increases for civil servants and for related staff in certain other bodies, as proposed to the Public Accounts Committee and the Select Committee on the Treasury and Civil Service. The arrangement for subsequent years will be considered in the light of the Committee's comments, on which the Government's observations will be presented shortly.

In accordance with the announcement about cash limits made today by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, this Vote will provide for a 14 per cent. increase in the total pay bill from due settlement dates as a result of new pay awards. To help reconcile pay research and other pay bargaining arrangements with the cash limit, the Government have decided to make a further reduction in 1980–81 in the Civil Service manpower costs to which the Vote relates. Over most Departments this reduction will be an average of 2½ per cent., but prison staff and a few other very limited areas will be excepted. This decision is in line with the Government's general determination to reduce the size of the public service.

In the case of the non-industrial civil service, negotiations will now be undertaken to conclude a settlement on the basis of the pay reseach evidence consistently with the cash limit provision. The cash limit and the manpower squeeze will also have to be taken into account in the later negotiations with the industrial grades.

The other bodies referred to are as follows:—

  • Northern Ireland Court Service
  • Forestry Commission
  • British Council
  • Agricultural Colleges, Scotland
  • Agricultural Research Institutes, Scotland
  • Meat and Livestock Commission
  • Home Grown Cereals Authority
  • National Institute of Agricultural Botany
  • Housing Corporation
  • Housing Corporation Office for Wales
  • British Library
  • National Library of Scotland
  • Agricultural Research Council
  • Medical Research Council
  • Natural Environment Research Council
  • Science Research Council
  • Social Science Research Council
  • British Museum (Natural History)
  • British Museum
  • Imperial War Museum
  • National Gallery
  • National Maritime Museum
  • National Portrait Gallery
  • Tate Gallery
  • Wallace Collection
  • National Galleries of Scotland
  • National Museum of Antiquities, Scotland
  • National Economic Development Council
  • The Royal Trustees
  • Legal Aid Fund
  • Legal Aid Scotland Fund