§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in view of the proposed 3 per cent. increase in defence expenditures proposed for the fiscal year 1980, and the fact that his Department has, in the past few years, underspent by £100 million, considerations are being given to 500W pay increases of Armed Forces personnel, in order to make their salaries competitive with those of the private sector.
§ Mr. MulleyThe Armed Forces Pay Review Body is responsible for advising the Government on the pay of the Armed Forces, which is based on a comparison with earnings in jobs of equivalent skill and responsibility in civil life. The position on the next pay award effective from 1 April 1979 remains as set out in my reply to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Sproat) on 23 March 1979.—[Vol. 964, cc. 776–77.]