§ 76 and 77. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) whether 214W he will give his approval to the two-tier system of payment for chairmen of nationalised boards whereby the first-tier chairmen will have their £12,500 per annum salaries increased to £20,000 per annum and the second-tier up to £15,000–£16,000 per annum and the Chairman of the Steel Board from £16,000 per annum to £27,000 per annum; and if he will make a statement;
(2) whether he will give an assurance that he will not agree to increase the salaries of the chairmen of the nationalised boards above the Government's 3½ per cent. norm;
(3) whether he will, in accordance with Government policy, require any increase in salaries to the chairmen of nationalised boards to be based upon productivity increases similar to industrial workers.
§ Mrs. HartThe question of revising the salaries of the chairmen of nationalised boards will be considered in the light of the forthcoming report from the National Board for Prices and Incomes. It would not be right for me to comment further at this stage.