HC Deb 18 November 1970 vol 806 cc422-6W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give, in addition to the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Parliamentary Commissioner, a detailed list of civil servants and other State employees, on salaries of £3,500 per annum or more, who will between 1st November, 1970 and January, 1971 receive a 40 per cent. increase.

Mr. David Howell

No employees in receipt of salaries for which the Government are responsible have been awarded an increase of 40 per cent. between 1st November, 1970 and January, 1971.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give in detail particulars of all civil servants and employees of the State, chairmen of nationalised boards, &c., who were on 6th November in receipt of salaries in excess

Post Salary at October, 1964 Salary increases to 6 November
£ £ £ £
DIRECTOR GENERAL,
National Economic Development Office 8,250 8,600 (1.9.1965) 8,600 New appointment 1.5.1966 (contribution from public funds to company) 16,000 (31.5.1969) In receipt of full salary paid from public funds
CHAIRMAN,
Atomic Energy Authority 12,500 11,000 (new appointment) (16.10.1967) 13,000 (1.4.1969) 15,000 (1.4.1970)
MANAGING DIRECTOR,
Industrial Reorganisation Corporation Previous appointment unpaid 20,000 (new appointment) (1.2.1968)
MR. R. A. MEYJES,
Business Advisor to Her Majesty's Government 19,000 (new appointment) (1.8.1970) (contribution from public funds to Company)
If the Hon. Member intends his Question to include the Judiciary, there are also the following:
LORD CHANCELLOR 12,000 14,500 (1.4.1966)
LORD CHIEF JUSTICE 10,000 12,500 (1.4.1966) 14,250 (29.5.1970)

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give the average cumulative increases paid to the higher paid civil servants and chairmen of nationalised boards since October, 1964 and his estimate of the increase

of that paid to the Prime Minister, and the amount in each instance; what the increases have been in each instance: and on what dates since October, 1964, when the Prime Minister's salary was raised to its present level.

Mr. David Howell

The Prime Minister's salary was raised to its present level on 1st April, 1965. No civil servants were on 6th November in receipt of higher salaries than the Prime Minister. For information concerning chairmen, deputy chairmen and members of the main nationalised boards I would refer to my reply to the hon. Member's Question of 10th November. Other posts in receipt of salaries for which the Government are responsible, and which are higher than that paid to the Prime Minister, are:

necessary in the salary of the Prime Minister to give him a similar increase.

Mr. David Howell

The average increase in salaries of the higher Civil Service and chairmen of the main nationalised boards from October, 1964 to the present was about 39 per cent. in both cases. The Prime Minister's salary was increased by 40 per cent. with effect from 1st April, 1965, and no further increase would therefore be required to meet the terms of the hon. Member's Question.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) whether, in view of the various increases in the salaries of chairmen of State boards up to the present £17,500 per annum and the Government's most recent call for wage and salary restraint upon the part of the lower-paid workers to combat inflation, he will stop the proposed further increase on 1st January, 1971 up to £20,000 per annum;

(2) whether, in view of the various increases in salaries of the chairmen of nationalised boards now in receipt of £15,000 per annum, and of the Government's most recent call for wage and salary restraint upon the part of lower-paid workers to combat inflation, he will stop the proposed further increase on 1st January, 1971 to £17,000 per annum.

Mr. David Howell

As I told the hon. Gentleman on 3rd November, the Government have no intention of reconsidering these increases.—[Vol. 805, c. 326.]

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) whether, in view of the fact that the salaries of Deputy Secretaries in the Civil Service were raised on 1st July, 1970 from £7,100 per annum to £8,050 per annum, and of the Government's most recent call for wage and salary restraint upon the part of the lower-paid workers to combat inflation, he will stop the proposed further increase of such salaries up to £9,000 per annum on 1st January, 1971;

(2) whether, in view of the fact that the salaries of the Head of the Civil Service, the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, and the Secretary to the Cabinet were raised on 1st July, 1970 from £10,400 per annum to £12,700 per annum, and of the Government's most recent call for wage and salary restraint upon the part of the lower paid to combat inflation, he will stop the proposed further increase of such salaries up to £15,000 per annum on 1st January, 1971;

(3) whether, in view of the fact that the salaries of Permanent Secretaries in the Civil Service were rasied on 1st July, 1970, from £9,800 per annum to £11,900 per annum, and of the Government's most recent call for wage and salary restraint upon the part of the lower-paid workers to combat inflation, he will stop the proposed further increase of such salaries up to £14,000 per annum on 1st January, 1971;

(4) whether, in view of the fact that the salaries of Under Secretaries in the Civil Service were raised on 1st July, 1970 from £6,000 per annum to £6,510, and of the Government's most recent call for wage and salary restraint on the part of the lower-paid workers to combat inflation, he will stop the proposed further increase up to £6,750 per annum on 1st January, 1971.

Mr. David Howell

No.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether, as a means of combating inflation, he will take steps to reduce all State and Civil Service salaries of £10,000 per annum and above by 10 per cent.

Mr. David Howell

No.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why the Government's most recent policy of calling for wage and salary restraint upon the part of the lower-paid workers to prevent inflation is not being applied so far as the higher-paid civil servants and State board employees are concerned; and whether he will therefore take steps to stop the recently announced 43 per cent. increase in the pay of civil servants on £10,000 per annum.

Mr. David Howell

The recently-announced pay increases for higher civil servants and nationalised industries board members reflect salary movements since the last increases for these groups in September, 1965, and April, 1964, respectively. The salary levels to be implemented for the Higher Civil Service from January, 1971, are those recommended by the independent Standing Advisory Committee on the pay of the Higher Civil Service as appropriate to the circumstances of mid-1969. The increases for chairmen and members of nationalised boards are those recommended by the National Board for Prices and Incomes in its Report No. 107 of April, 1969.