§ Mr. SpellerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what additional pay rate or leave entitlement is granted to an infantry soldier serving in Ulster to that granted to one in the British Army of the Rhine.
§ Mr. Neubert: In the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, soldiers of the rank of corporal and below are entitled to 30 days leave. (All leave includes weekend days). In order to reflect the special circumstances of service in Northern Ireland soldiers serving in the Province:
- (a) Receive Northern Ireland pay at a current rate of £2.75 a day (taxable) to compensate them for the abnormally long and unsocial hours which they are required to work there.
- (b) Are exempted from paying food and accommodation charges if living in single accommodation, or receive the equivalent financial compensation if living in married accommodation.
- (c) Have an additional leave entitlement of seven four-day long weekends, which must be taken outside Northern Ireland.
- (d) Receive a total of seven leave warrants annually, if single or six if married and accompanied; married and accompanied soldiers are able to use their warrants to enable their families to travel with them to Great Britain three times per year.
A soldiers basic pay does not vary from one theatre to another. In the British Army of the Rhine a soldier is entitled to local overseas allowance (not taxable) to compensate for the higher costs of living in Germany and is entitled to 42 days leave per year. He is entitled to three leave warrants annually. When battalions are sent from BAOR to Northern Ireland on four-month unaccompanied tours, married soldiers are entitled to retain 75 per cent. of their local overseas allowance, and single soldiers to retain 40 per cent. This is to compensate them for continuing commitments which they may have in Germany.