§ Mr. Evelyn Kingasked the Minister of State for Defence in respect of industrial civil servants working in Portland, when was their pay last raised; what pay offer has now been made to them; what percentage increase this represents; and how that percentage increase compares with the percentage increase offered to railway-men and miners, respectively, in the last 12 months.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerI have been asked to reply.
The pay of all industrial civil servants was last increased on 1st July, 1971. An offer of a £1.50 increase for all adult male time-workers together with improvements in leave entitlement has been made by the Official Side of the Joint Co-ordinating Committee for Government Industrial Establishments. This offer represents about 8 per cent. and there will in addition be a further step towards equal pay for women. The most recent settlements for coal miners and railway men have been of 13.1 per cent. and 16.5 per cent. respectively.