§ Mr. Peter Morrisonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will state at May 1978 prices the average basic pay of the lowest rank of police officer outside the Metropolitan area for each of the last five years for 689W which figures are available; and whether he will also state for each of those years the percentage of average earnings that the figures represent.
§ Dr. SummerskillThe average basic pay—that is, excluding overtime and allowances—of police constables during the past five years, with effect from the settlement date of 1st September each year, was as follows:
1973–74 … £1,775 1974–75 … £2,097 1975–76 … £2,901 1976–77 … £3,051 since 1st September 1977 … £3,447 It would be misleading to express pay for earlier years in terms of current prices since changes in its purchasing power depend on the income tax and social security payments of individuals as well as on movements in retail prices. Police Council surveys in 1974, 1976 and 1977 showed that basic pay represented 70.2 per cent., 76.5 per cent, and 77 per cent. respectively of the average earnings of uniform constables. Comparable figures for 1975 and 1978 are not available.