§ Lord Sefton of Garstonasked Her Majesty's Government:
In view of the Prime Minister's statement that no subsidies should be paid to British Rail in respect of the Channel Tunnel link and that these costs should be met by the user in accordance with market forces, whether they now intend to withdraw subsidies paid to civil servants and other government employees in the form of London Weighting.
§ The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Lord Young of Graffham)No. London Weighting is not a subsidy paid to civil servants and other Government employees for the higher cost of working in London. London Weighting is paid to enable the Civil Service to recruit, retain and motivate staff in sufficient numbers to carry out their work efficiently, at levels which the Government can afford.