§ Hugh BayleyTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what private sector benchmarks the Government use to set targets for productivity gains of public sector employees. [85944]
§ Mr. Boateng[holding answer 17 December 2002]: The Government do not operate any benchmarks of that kind. In determining pay, it is for individual employers across the public sector to take decisions on their own pay arrangements to recruit and retain the staff they need to support the delivery of public services, within the resources available to them, taking account of their own particular circumstances and requirements. Generally, settlements above inflation can only be justified where there are specific recruitment or retention problems, or where the increases will be financed by reform and modernisation changes, including efficiency and productivity savings.