§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister for the Civil Service what civil and publice servants are paid on a weekly, fortnightly and monthly basis, in advance or arrears; and what would be the savings on costs if all such persons were paid fortnightly and monthly in advance.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisI can answer only for the Civil Service. 149,000 lower 677W paid non-industrial and 188,000 industrial civil servants are paid weekly in arrears. 419,000 non-industrials are paid monthly in arrears. None is paid fortnightly or in advance. If all civil servants were paid fortnightly or monthly in advance, and initial payment of £106 million or £230 million respectively would have to be made. Paying all non-industrials monthly in advance would save £5 million a year in staffing and computer costs but interest at 12 per cent. on the initial payment of £175 million would cost £21 million a year, the net cost amounting to £16 million a year. No information is available about the annual savings from paying all non-industrials fortnightly in advance or from paying all industrials fortnightly or monthly in advance