§ Sir D. Kaberryasked the Prime Minister why there was an increase of approximately 90 per cent. in three years of the salaries of 68 full-time and three part-time staff in his office amounting to £234,000 in October 1974 as compared with £435,000 in October 1977 for 71 full-time and one part-time staff.
§ The Prime MinisterThe figures for salary costs given in my answer of 16th February to my hon. Friend the Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Lewis) were the Estimates provision for salaries of staff in No. 10 Downing Street for the financial years in question. The increase in the Estimates can be approximately allocated as follows:
67W
£ Increases in Civil Service pay and London weighting since the beginning of 1974 in conformity with the incomes policies in operation 148,000 Substitution of three full-time staff for part-time staff and changes in the distribution of the staff between Civil Service grades 31,000 Changes in the level of employers' national insurance contributions 22,000 Average salary costs for No. 10 rose by the same percentage as the national average wage between April 1974 and April 1977.