§ Mr. Churchillasked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the average percentage increase in Armed Forces' pay and married quarter accommodation charges, respectively, under phases 1 and 2 of the Government's pay and prices policy in respect of the following ranks and equivalents: (a) privates, (b) sergeants, (c) lieutenants and (d) colonels.
§ Mr. MulleyThe information requested in respect of typical examples of the ranks shown is given below. Cash amounts of increases are also shown, as any comparison of percentage increases not deduced from a common base is misleading.
were concluded during the transitional arrangements made at the start of phase 1 of the pay policy and by payments made in outside employments under the Equal Pay Act 1970 which have been permitted under pay policies. The terms of the Equal Pay Act were applied to Service women's pay on 1st April 1975, before the counter-inflation policy was introduced.
§ Mr. Croninasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any statement to make about progress with his inquiry into pay and conditions of those members of the Armed Forces serving in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. MulleyYes. It has for many years been an accepted part of the military salary concept that, in compensation for the hardships incurred, single men should not be charged for food or accommodation when serving in the field for 625W two nights or more. Service men on emergency tours in Northern Ireland are regarded as being on "field conditions" throughout their tour. Similar arrangements have not hitherto applied to members of the permanent garrison in the Province who normally serve for tours of 18 months or more and who may be accompanied by their families. In view, however, of the developing rôle of the permanent garrison in security duties I have decided that this distinction in treatment is no longer appropriate and that it would be right in future to regard members of the permanent garrison as similarly under field conditions. They will, therefore, be treated, as regards food and accommodation charges, in a manner analogous to those serving on emergency tours.
The effect of this will be that single men in the permanent garrison will be relieved of food charges (93p a day) during their tour. The married accompanied man will receive the same rate of daily food allowance (50p) as is paid to members of the UDR called out for duty for days when he is not provided with food by his unit. Single men will also be relieved of accommodation charges, and for married accompanied men occupying official quarters accommodation charges will be abated by the amount of the appropriate single accommodation charge. Single accommodation charges vary according to rank and the savings to the individual will, therefore, vary similarly. For corporals and below paying the standard charge the saving will, for example, amount to £2.80 a week; for a Captain, it will be £7.50.