HC Deb 03 April 1980 vol 982 cc348-51W
Mr. Bendall

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement about the 1980–81 pay settlement for the non-industrial Civil Service.

Mr. Channon

As I announced on 14 March the Civil Service pay settlements this year will be subject to a cash limit of 14 per cent. and will take account of the reductions in manpower costs of a little under 2½ per cent. Negotiations with the unions have been concluded—subject in some cases to ratification by their members—for most of the main grades in this year's pay research surveys giving an average pay increase for all grades in a full year of about 18¾ per cent. Some staging will, therefore, be necessary to keep the cost of the settlement in 1980–81 within the cash limit margin. Discussions are being held with the unions about possible staging arrangements.

Negotiations on the pay rates are continuing for some other grades, mainly the science and professional and technology grades, where the unit's reports have been delivered late. It is also proposed to delay the conclusion of negotiations on the pay of the senior principal and assistant secretary grades until the recommendation of the Top Salaries Review Body on the pay of the undersecretary grade is known.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish in the Official Report a table of figures showing to what extent, for the longest and most convenient period of time, hon. Members' salaries have kept pace with, fallen short of, or exceeded those paid to civil servants, chairmen and members of nationalised boards and the national average wage.

Mr. Channon

The information is given in the following table:

MP's pay at date of increase National average wage* expressed as an annual figure Mid-point of Civil Service Principal grade scale Minimum of Area Electricity Board Chairman's ranged† MP's pay as percentage of national average wage per cent. MP's pay as percentage of Civil Service Principal's pay per cent. MP's pay as percentage of Area Electricity Board Chairman's pay per cent.
£ £ £ £
1964 3,250 945 2,588‡ 7,000 344 126 46
1972 4,500§ 1,870 4,093 12,000 241 110 38
1975 5,750 3,110 6,565 12,830 185 88 45
1976 6,062 3,496 6,877 12,830 173 88 47
1977 6,270 3,805 7,085 13,038 165 88 48
1978 6,897 4,359 7,760 14,340 158 89 48
1979 9,450 5,060 8,846║ 19,420 187 107 49
Notes:
* Average weekly earnings of full.time men manual workers in manufacturing and certain other industries as at October.
† Selected as typical of the pattern of increases at lower levels of Nationalised Industry Board salaries.
‡ 1 January 1965—nearest comparable date.
§ Members' remuneration prior to 1972 contained an unquantifiable element to cover their expenses. Separate allowances for these expenses have been payable since 1972.
║ 1 August 1979—nearest comparable date.

Mr. Charles R. Morris

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will list the salaries paid to clerical officers and grades up to and including assistant secretary as at 1 April, also the salary levels and percentage increases for each individual grade, negotiated on the basis of the current pay research comparability study, indicating whether,

SCALE MAXIMA
1 January 1980 £ 1980 pay research £ Percentage increase £
Clerical Officer 4,000 4,740 18.5
Executive Officer 5,700 6,745 18.3
Higher Executive Officer 7,250 8,555 18.0
Senior Executive Officer 8,900 10,500 18.0
Principal 11,750 14,000 19.1
Senior Principal 15,000
Assistant Secretary 17,000

The analogues for each grade were selected, in accordance with the Civil Service pay agreements, by the independent Pay Research Unit. I understand that the number of organisations in each survey has been increased by about 10 per cent. since last year. Further information on the surveys will be provided in the reports of the Pay Research Unit Board and of the director of the unit which are to be published shortly.