§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement about the payment of London weighting to personnel of the Armed Forces serving in London.
§ The Prime MinisterYes. The Armed Forces Pay Review Body has presented to the Government a second supplement to its Third Report dealing with London weighting and separation allowance. The supplement is being published this afternoon as Cmnd. 5853. The Government are grateful to the Review Body for this report and accept its recommendations.
London weighting will be paid with effect from 1st April 1974 to all personnel up to and including the rank of brigadier and equivalent serving in London. The rates, which are set out in the table below, are in line with those recommended by the Pay Board in its Advisory Report on London Weighting (Cmnd. 5560) after allowing for the fact that most of those serving in London do not spend more on accommodation and travel to work on that account.
The rates of separation allowance are being increased, and the rules of eligibility simplified, with effect from 1st February 1975.
Following is the table: (a) For owner-occupiers travelling daily from home to work: Serving in Inner London £327 p.a. Serving in Outer London £185 p.a. (b) For all others: Serving in Inner London £186 p.a. Serving in Outer London £105 p.a.