§ 33. Mr. Juddasked the Minister of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure equal pay for equal work amongst civilians employed in Ministry of Defence establishments, with particular reference to the discrepancies in pay between those men and women employed in establishments with productivity schemes and those employed in establishments without such schemes although the work itself may be identical; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Ian GilmourCivil industrial employees in Ministry of Defence establishments receive basic rates of pay common to the industrial Civil Service as a whole. In many cases, these are supplemented by bonuses under productivity or incentive schemes. The principle of the rate for the job is not affected because under such schemes the employee is called upon to give greater effort or make some other concession in return for the bonus.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of State for Defence whether he is aware that there are many Servicemen now in receipt of payments net, less than those persons in receipt of supplementary benefits; and whether he will increase the pay of all these Service men to ensure that they receive at least the same net income as those in receipt of supplementary benefits, in view of the information sent to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North.
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§ Mr. Ian GilmourI am aware of the situation. Those concerned include young married Servicemen, particularly those who are still under training, and older men, with several children, who have not secured promotion. The pay of the Armed Forces is related to earnings in civilian life by the recommendations of the independent Armed Forces Pay Review Body.