§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how the Child Support Agency justifies including the X factor in service pay when assessing serving personnel.
§ Mr. HagueThe X factor forms part of the basic pay for all members of the armed forces, irrespective of rank or location. The Child Support Act 1991 defines earnings as any remuneration or profit received from employment, including any bonus, commission, royalty or fee. This clearly includes the X factor, which is, therefore, taken fully into account in the calculation.