§ Mr. Heddleasked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement on the pay claim negotiations with the Institution of Professional Civil Servants.
§ 81. Mr. Tom Benyonasked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement on the pay claim negotiations 732W with the Institution of Professional Civil Servants.
§ Mr. ChannonI am glad to say that agreement has been reached with the Institution of Professional Civil Servants on the pay of Government scientists. Scientists' pay will be linked to the administration group for 1979 and a form of words has been agreed to prevent this settlement causing any future repercussions or misunderstandings.
Increases will now be paid in accordance with the staging arrangements agreed for other civil servants.
Unfortunately, my Department has not yet been able to reach agreement with the Institution of Professional Civil Servants on the pay of professional and technical grades. An offer has been made to them based on pay research evidence, and calculated in exactly the same way as offers made to and accepted by other Civil Service unions on behalf of other civil servants. I have repeatedly said to the IPCS that if it cannot accept my Department's offer it should refer its claim to the independent Civil Service arbitration tribunal, whose findings the Government will accept.
§ 75. Mr. Viggersasked the Minister for the Civil Service when he plans to meet the leaders of the Institution of Professional Civil Servants.
§ Mr. ChannonMy right hon. and noble Friend, the Lord President of the Council, and I met IPCS representatives yesterday. We are to meet again on Friday, 20 July.