§ Miss Fookesasked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement about the current state of Civil Service pay negotiations.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisMy right hon. Friends the Lord Privy Seal and the Sec-582W retary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection and I had a further meeting with the National Staff Side on 30 March. We confirmed the assurances already given and in addition made a further offer of a first stage payment on 1 April 1979 of 9 per cent.—where the pay research evidence indicates an increase of at least that amount—with an underpinning minimum of £3.50 a week, for all full time adults, one-half of any balance of the total amount negotiated for each grade to be paid from 1 August 1979 and the remaining amount to be paid from 31 March 1980. A number of general secretaries agreed to commend this offer to their executive committees and, subject to logistical problems, to call off industrial action. The offer is due to be considered by the unions collectively at a meeting of the National Staff Side on Thursday, 3 April. I trust they will accept it. I must make it clear that there is no question of any further improvement and therefore no justification in further industrial action.