§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement on the 18 per cent. salary and special computer allowance increase from 1 April for some computer staff in the Civil Service; and how many will receive these increases.
§ Mr. HayhoeThe Government's offer of pay increases for the non-industrial Civil Service in February included increases in all allowances for skill and responsibility. It proposed an increase of about 11½ per cent. in the allowances paid to certain executive officers engaged in automatic data processing, and that the allowances should in future be payable above the maximum of the pay scale.
The increases are as follows:
Existing Allowance Increased Allowance £ a year £ a year after 1 year's qualifying service 269 300 after 2 years' qualifying service 538 600 after 3 years' qualifying service 807 900 The Government also proposed a new allowance of £500 a year for qualified staff at higher executive officer level. The Government have now decided that these increases will take effect from 1 April 1982. They are in addition to the increases in basic pay awarded by the Civil Service arbitration tribunal which, as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 6 May, the Government have decided to accept. About 2,000 staff at executive officer level are affected. Fewer staff at higher executive officer level are expected to qualify for the new allowance, but a firm estimate of the numbers involved cannot yet be made. The overall increases in pay and allowances will vary in individual cases, and range from 406W 5 per cent. to 18 per cent. The total estimated cost of the improvements in these allowances is £1.25 million a year, or ⅙ per cent. of the pay bill of the grades concerned.