§ Mr. Richard Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report (a) the average earnings of aircraft flight deck officers in each year since 1970, (b) the range of earnings of this group in each year since 1970 and (c) the cash and percentage increase in earnings of this group between 1975 and 1976.
§ Mr. WellbelovedThe ranks which most nearly equate to "flight deck officers" are squadron leaders or flight lieutenants. It would require disproportionate effort to determine their average annual earnings since 1970, but the figures below, showing the sum of basic pay and flying pay received by officers with five years' seniority in the rank, should be close to the average:
Squadron Leader Flight Lieutenant £ £ 1970–71 … 3,614 2,993 1971–72 … 3,833 3,168 1972–73 … 4,281 3,529 1973–74 … 4,486 3,704 1974–75 … 5,148 4,272 1975–76 … 6,577 5,522 1976–77 … 6,889 5,834 It is mot possible to give the range of earnings over this period without the use of arbitrary classifications. However the range is appreciably wider than the difference between the two columns in the table above.
The difference of £312 between the figures in the last two lines of the table represents an increase of 4.74 per cent. for the squadron leaders and 5.65 per cent. for the flight lieutenants.