§ Mr. John Pageasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the administrative, clerical and technical officer grades employed by the Medical Research Council who are paid on similar salary scales to the Civil Service, to enjoy a similar non-contributory pension scheme; and what action he proposes to take.
§ Mr. Edward Short:I have been asked to reply.
A number of hon. Members have forwarded letters from members of the staff of the Medical Research Council. These letters seek parity of remuneration between M.R.C. staff and civil servants on similar salary scales not by the introduction of a non-contributory superannuation scheme in the M.R.C. but by payment of a supplement to salary as compensation for the requirement to contribute under the council's present arrangements.
I have now established with the M.R.C. that office staffs and technical officers of the council are employed on work broadly comparable with that of civil servants in analogous grades.
Discussions are now in active progress, and I hope that a settlement of this com 482W plicated question will now be reached quickly on the basis of a pay supplement for M.R.C. staffs on Civil Service pay rates.