§ Sir John FarrTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his intention, in the event of disagreement, to send the civil service pay award to independent arbitration.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardIndependent arbitration is available under the terms of the long-term pay agreements between the Treasury and the unions representing non-industrial civil servants, but only if both parties agree to it.
The Government have recently rejected requests by the Civil and Public Servants Association and the National Union of Civil and Public Servants to refer offers made for this year's annual pay settlement to arbitration. The CPSA has since accepted the offer, and the NUCPS is recommending that their members to likewise.