Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Adam Price (Plaid Cymru). It was answered on Thursday, 30 March 2006 on behalf of the Treasury.

Public Sector (Local Pay)

Question: In a report funded by the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. David), the Bevan Foundation, a Labour-leaning think-tank, concluded that the introduction of local pay in the public sector would widen further the pay gap between Wales and the rest of the UK. Did the Minister's colleagues in the National Assembly make that point to him forcefully, or does the Labour party say one thing in public and another in private?

Answer: Wales has done better than almost anywhere as a consequence of this Government's policy. In recent years, public sector workers in Wales, particularly those in the front line, have received significant, year-on-year salary increases. That is the real gap compared with the pay that they were receiving up until 1997. There are arguments for localised pay in some circumstances, but there is no room for any grievances about the rates of pay for public service workers on the front line in Wales.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 444 c1039
Session: 2005-06
Oral question type: 1st Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Commons chamber
Subjects: Devolved matters Economic regions Pay Public sector Pay settlements Scotland Wales Pay differentials Pay comparability
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk