§ Mr. BaldryTo ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement about the discretionary pay scheme for grades 2 and 3 staff in the home Civil Service.
§ Mr. LuceMy right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 23 April 1987 the introduction of a scheme of discretionary increments for staff in grades 2 and 3 and said that the increments would be in payment with effect from 1 October 1987. Awards have been made to 27 Grade 2s and 84 grade 3s (respectively 20 and 17 per cent. of all those in each grade). The cost of the awards in the current 295W financial year is £117,750, equivalent to £235,500 in a full year, or about 1 per cent. of the annual pay bill for the grades concerned.