HC Deb 13 July 1982 vol 27 cc324-5W
Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report for all firemen (a) average earnings for 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81 and 1981–82 and (b) the total numbers employed for the same years.

Mr. Mayhew

We regret that the information is not available in the form requested. Pay and allowances in local authority fire brigades since 1978 are as follows:

Fire Service: Basic Pay
7 Nov. 7977 7 Nov. 1978 7 Nov. 1979 7 Nov. 1980 1 April 1981 7 Nov. 1981
Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Fireman (aged over 18) 3,015 3,939 3,683 4,811 4,434 5,793 5,010 6,546 5,268 6,882 5,799 7,578
Leading Fireman 4,040 4,935 5,943 6,717 7,059 7,773
Sub Officer 4,140 4,300 5,057 5,252 6,090 6,327 6,882 7,149 7,236 7,515 7,968 8,274
Station Officer 4,799 5,012 5,862 6,122 7,065 7,377 7,983 8,337 8,394 8,763 9,243 9,648
Assistant Divisional Officer 5,058 5,368 6,178 6,557 7,446 7,902 8,415 8,928 8,847 9,387 9,741 10,335
Divisional Officer III 5,642 5,418 6,618 6,892 7,977 8,307 9,015 9,387 9,477 9,870 10,434 10,866
Divisional Officer II 5,754 6,213 7,029 7,589 8,472 9,147 9,573 10,335 10,065 10,866 11,082 11,964
Divisional Officer I 6,355 6,645 7,763 8,117 9,357 9,786 10,572 11,058 11,115 11,625 12,237 12,798
Senior Divisional Officer 6,840 7,216 8,355 8,814 10,074 10,626 11,385 12,006 11,967 12,624 13,176 13,899
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Normally 75 per cent, of Chief Officer's salary
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Normally 80 per cent, of Chief Officer's salary
(1 Oct. 1977) (1 Oct. 1978) (1 July 1979) (1 Jan. 1980) (1 April 1981) (1 July 1981)
Chief Fire Officer *7,076 *12,482 *7,704 *13,911 *9,114 *16,782 *10,752 *19,803 *12,366 *22,773 *13,293 *24,480
(1 July 1980)
12,150 *22,377
* Minimum salaries recommended by the National Joint Council for Chief Officers of Local Authority Fire Brigades. Incremental allowances above the standard scale are paid to some Chief Fire Officers for additional duties.

London weighting is paid to members of the London Fire Brigade. The rates (normally with effect from 1 July) agreed for 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981 are £417, £468, £543, £636, and £690 a year respectively. Some other fire authorities pay fringe area allowances at varying rates which are determined locally.

Free accommodation, fuel and light are provided to residential officers working a 78 hour week and, in some cases and on a locally determined basis, to other members of brigades who make themselves available beyond the normal working week. It is not possible to assess the annual value of this provision.

(b) The total strength of operational whole-time firemen in local authority fire brigades in England and Wales was as follows at the dates shown
Total Strength
31 December 1978 32,441
31 December 1979 34,395
31 December 1980 34,184
31 December 1981 34,079

September 1978 September 1979 September 1980 September 1981
Rank Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Constable 3,189 4,809 4,086 6,471 4,956 7,848 5,610 8,883
Sergeant 4,683 5,406 6,186 7,095 7,503 8,607 8,493 9,744
Inspector 5,406 6,489 7,095 8,445 8,607 10,242 9,744 11,595
Chief Inspector 6,198 7,260 8,058 9,348 9,774 11,340 11,064 12,837
Superintendent 8,436 9,333 11,124 12,156 13,494 14,745 15,276 16,692
Chief Superintendent 9,426 10,326 12,258 13,365 14,868 16,212 16,830 18,351
Assistant Chief Constable 10,478 11,077 14,188 17,001 19,101
Deputy Chief Constable 11,004 13,604 15,072 18,615 17,502 20,943 19,602 22,794
Chief Constable 13,603 17,455 18,840 23,268 21,195 26,175 23,046 28,203
Senior Officers in Metropolitan Police
Commander 10,733 10,949 14,442 17,289 19,428
Deputy Assistant Commissioner 12,642 13,196 17,592 19,791 21,681
Assistant Commissioner 16,336 21,990 24,738 26,694
Deputy Commissioner 17,984 24,192 27,216 29,364

In addition, all members of the Metropolitan and City of London Police are paid London weighting and London allowance at the following rates:

September 1978 September 1979 September 1980 September 1981
£ £ £ £
London weighting 351 501 588 657
London allowance 325 738 894 1,011

Officers who are not provided with free accommodation are paid a rent allowance within the limits approved for each force. The highest and lowest annual limits are as follows:

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