§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the real terms change in the armed forces pay bill between 1979 and 1997. [11255]
§ Dr. ReidMeasuring the movement in earnings in the armed forces between 1979 and 1997 by reference to real terms changes to the annual pay bill over the same period would not produce an appropriate comparison because of reductions in the strength of the armed forces. However, a comparison of the overall annual percentage increases in the total pay bill of the armed forces since 1979, with the corresponding increases in the retail prices index for 1979 to 1997, shows that in real terms the former has risen against the latter by 35.4 per cent. This takes account of staging of pay awards where they have occurred, but does not of course reflect a universally applicable figure for any given rank.