HC Deb 06 June 1985 vol 80 cc190-2W
Mr. Forth

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the reports of the pay review bodies.

The Prime Minister

The 1985 reports of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body, the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body and the Review Body for Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine have been published today. Copies are now available in the Vote Office. The Government are grateful to the members of the review bodies for these reports and for the time and care which they have put into their preparation. The report of the Top Salaries Review Body has not yet been submitted to the Government.

The report of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body recommends increases which would add 7.3 per cent. to the armed forces' 1985–86 pay bill. These recommendations will be implemented in full from 1 April 1985. The additional costs in excess of the 3 per cent. allowance in the defence budget for increases in pay and prices will be offset by economies or reductions elsewhere in the defence programme.

The report of the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body recommends increases which would in 1985–86 add 6.4 per cent. (including increases in distinction awards to consultants) to the pay bill for hospitals and community health services and 6.2 per cent. to the pay bill for the non-cash-limted family practitioner services. The recommendations will be implemented with effect from 1 June 1985. The additional costs to the pay bill of the cash-limited services in 1985–86 will be 5.4 per cent. and for the family practitioner services 5.2 per cent.

The reports of the Review Body for Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine incorporate the results of the reviews of the salary scales of these professions on which this body has been working since its establishment in 1983. These reports accordingly recommend a range of salary increases for different grades which would add 9.0 per cent. to the 1985–86 pay bill for these groups. The increases in basic pay recommended for qualified nurses and midwives in the main clinical grades range from 8.4 per cent. to 14.3 per cent. and for analogous grades in the professions allied to medicine from 7.6 per cent. to 16.6. There are lower increases recommended for trainees, unqualified staff and administrative grades. The recommendations will be implemented in two stages. All members of these groups will receive an increase of 5 per cent. (or the whole amount of the award where this is less) from 1 April 1985, with the balance of the recommended increases, which embody the review body's proposals for salary restructuring, on 1 February 1986. By that date the salary scales recommended by the review body will be in full operation. The additional costs to the pay bill of the cash-limited services in 1985–86 will be 5.6 per cent.

The cost of these awards in 1985–86 for the health authorities will be met within existing cash limits.

Pensions will be based on the salaries actually in payment in accordance with the principle set out in my written answer on 13 April 1984 at column 383.

The pay rates and scales resulting from the decisions will be promulgated as soon as possible. The Government will be considering separately certain recommendations on points of detail.