§ Sir David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many public servants are now in dispute with the Government over their pay claims; how many different categories are involved; how many public servants are involved in each such category; if he will list the pay structure for each category for the last three years, including the relevant increases in percentage terms; and what is the Government's offer and the trade union's claim in each category.
§ Mr. WaddingtonUnions representing non-industrial civil servants below the level of Under-Secretary are the only category of Government employees currently in dispute over their pay claims. I am informed by the Civil Service Department that the information requested is as set out below.
Some 520,000 civil servants are members of the unions which are taking industrial action in support of a 15 per cent. pay claim. The Government have offered the unions a 7 per cent. increase from 1 April 1981. The following table sets out the average level of pay increase for the non-industrial civil servants in each annual pay settlement over the last three years:
Year Increase per cent. Paid from Basis of Settlement 1978 10 1 April Paid in 3 stages from 1 April 1979, 1 August 1979 and 1 Incomes policy—phase 3 1979 25 January 1980 Pay research—staged payment 1980 18¾ 7 May Pay research—deferred payment