HC Deb 15 January 1991 vol 183 cc459-60W
Mr. Knapman

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement about the discretionary pay scheme for grades 2 and 3 staff in the home civil service.

Mr. Renton

In the fourth and last round of awards under the arrangements announced by my right hon. Friend the then Prime Minister on 23 April 1987, awards

July August September 1October November December 2January
Ff/£ high 10.06 10.18 9.96 10.15 9.90 9.83 9.97
low 9.56 9.88 9.75 9.82 9.74 9.72 9.80
DM/£ high 3.006 3.034 2.981 3.025 2.936 2.903 2.926
low 2.929 2.946 2.904 2.929 2.887 2.852 2.888
Lira/£ high 2195 2255 2225 2267 2205 2180 2200
low 2150 2155 2170 2200 2175 2155 2180
Maximum £ deviation from central rate per cent. above — — — +2.70 — — +1.05
below — — — -4.15 -4.25 -4.67 -4.04
1 From 8 October 1990.
2 To 13 January 1991.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the inflow and outflow to and from and the net gain or loss to the reserves from the date of joining the exchange rate mechanism to the latest available date and for the equivalent period before joining.

Mr. Maples

Net changes to the reserves in the three months before and after sterling's entry to the ERM are as follows:

$million
Total change Level of reserves at end of month
July -172 38,842
August +455 39,297
September -237 39,060
October1 -488 38,572

have been made to 21 grade 2s and 53 grade 3s. The total number of staff currently granted awards following four rounds of the scheme is 41 grade 2s and 157 grade 3s, respectively 29 per cent. and 32 per cent. of each grade. This is within the ceiling of 35 per cent. of each grade recommended by the Top Salaries Review Body.

The full-year cost of these awards is approximately £565,000 or about 1.9 per cent. of the annual pay bill for the grades concerned. The scheme is due to be replaced by new arrangements in April 1991.