§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if companies which have suspended employee contributions 594W to a pension fund for one year are breaching the Government's pay guidelines if the wage and salary bill is increased by 10 per cent.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerAs under the last round, any increase in earnings resulting from a decrease in employees' contributions which does not involve a corresponding reduction in benefits should be taken into account at the time of the main settlement in determining the level of settlement in accordance with the guidelines set out in Cmnd. 6882.
§ Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now list the major pay settlements which have been monitored by his Department, showing in each case the number of workers covered, in both public and private sectors, and the percentage increase over the previous settlement, such increase to include all fringe benefits and other arrangements over and above the flat rate increase.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerAs I and my predecessors have previously made clear, it would not be helpful or consistent with the basis on which some of the figures are collected to publish details of settlements. Since many different elements can be included in a pay settlement, its compliance with the Government's pay policy cannot be shown simply by the overall percentage increase.