§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out(a) the percentage in real-term increases and (b) the actual percentage increase in the pay of the following in each year since 1964 (i) Army private, (ii) Army sergeant, (iii) Army W011, (iv) second lieutenant, (v) captain and (vii) lieutenant-colonel.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonI regret that the available records do not enable the question to be answered for years prior to 1970.
Since the introduction of the military salary in April 1970, the average increases in armed forces' pay for all ranks compared with the retail price index have been:
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Pay revew in Equivalent percentage increase for full year Retail price index 1971 1— 9.4 1972 10.0 7.1 1973 6.5 9.1 1974 13.0 16.0 1975 29.5 24.2 1976 9.6 16.5 1977 5.0 15.9
Pay revew in Equivalent percentage increase for full year Retail price index 1978 13.0 8.2 1979 32.5 13.5 1980 16.8 18.0 1981 10.3 11.9 1982 6.1 8.6 1983 7.2 4.8 1984 24.9 5.0 1985 7.1 6.1 1986 35.6 3.4 1987 4.9 4.1 1988 6.4 4.9 1989 6.8 n/a 1 There was no formal review in 1971 but an interim award of 7 per cent. was made in August 1971. 2 A staged increase, the full amount awarded was 7.6 per cent. 3 A 7.5 per cent. increase deterred until 1 July 1986. n/a Not yet available.
It would not be possible to break the figures down to show percentage increases in pay for each of the ranks requested without disproportionate cost.