§ The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Geoffrey Hoon)In line with the main Armed Forces' Pay Review Body (AFPRB) recommendations for Armed Forces' Pay announced on 7 February, the Review Body has recommended an interim pay increase of 3.2 per cent. for all regular and reserve defence medical services medical and dental officers. The Review Body also recommends an interim 3.2 per cent. increase to the Sustained Quality Payments, General Medical and General Dental Practitioner Trainer pay and to the value of Distinction Awards. The AFPRB will submit their final recommendations following the announcement of the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body report later this year and further written and oral evidence from the Ministry of Defence, the British Medical Association and the British Dental Association.
The additional cost to the Defence Budget will be some £5 million. This will be met within existing Departmental expenditure limits.
The Review Body's interim recommendations are to be accepted in full, with implementation effective from 1 April 2003.