Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Stephens Excerpts
Wednesday 13th March 2019

(5 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Oliver Dowden Portrait Oliver Dowden
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As ever, my right hon. Friend is absolutely correct. In fact, the effect of the national living wage this year is to hand workers a £700 pay rise.

Chris Stephens Portrait Chris Stephens (Glasgow South West) (SNP)
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Can the Minister confirm that permanent secretaries agreed a 1% pay offer across the board in Departments last year? Does that not make a mockery of the fact that the Government have 200 separate pay negotiations across the civil service?

Oliver Dowden Portrait Oliver Dowden
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As the hon. Gentleman is aware, in respect of lower grades—those below the senior civil service—there is a delegated pay process. The overall framework is set by the Cabinet Office and the Treasury, and it is for individual Departments to decide. We will go through the proper process, and no final decisions have been taken.