§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 14 April 2003,Official Report, column 567W, what the cost of the Defence Medical Services was in each year from 1995–96, in 2003–04 prices. [119196]
§ Mr. CaplinFurther to the answer of 14 April 2003,Official Report, column 567W, the cost of the Defence Medical Services (DMS) in each of the years from 1995–96 to 2002–03 at 2003–04 prices is as follows:
Cost of Defence Medical Services (DMS) £ Cost of DMS at 2003–04 prices 1995–96 405.43 1996–97 305.58 1997–98 316.11 1998–99 328.61 1999–2000 353.21 2000–01 359.67 2001–02 368.23 2002–03 407.85 Note:
These figures were calculated using the GDP deflator published by HM Treasury.
§ Mr. KeetchTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the pay differential is between doctors serving in Band three in the NHS and doctors serving in Band three posts in the DMS; and if he will make a statement. [118192]
§ Mr. CaplinIt is difficult to make an accurate comparison between the pay of doctors in the Defence Medical Services (DMS) and doctors in the NHS serving in Band three posts as this would depend on a number of factors, such as their stage of training and their incremental level on the pay structure. Account would also need to be taken of the X-factor paid to DMS doctors, the non-contributory nature of the armed forces pension scheme and the fact that DMS junior doctors' pay includes an element for NHS out of hours payments.
From their assessment of pay comparability following the introduction of the NHS pay Banding system on 1 December 2000, the armed forces Pay Review Body recommended a supplementary pro rata 402W payment of £5,000 to DMS doctors under training for the period 1 December 2000 to 31 March 2002. The question of supplementary payments for subsequent years will be addressed in the Department's annual papers of evidence to the Review Body.