Armed Forces: Pay

Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton Excerpts

Wednesday 20th March 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, the X-factor was introduced in 1970 and is paid as an addition to base pay. It is paid to reflect the relative disadvantage between the conditions of service experienced by members of the Armed Forces over a full career and conditions in civilian life that cannot be taken directly into account in assessing pay comparability. Those factors include danger, discipline, turbulence, separation and liability for duty at all times.

[Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton]

My Lords, I listened carefully to the noble Lord’s reply to my noble friend’s question. I heard him explain that it was perfectly within normal procedure for a contract not to be renewed, but I missed his answer as to why the contract had not been renewed in this case.

[Lord Astor of Hever]

My Lords, I said that the decision is in line with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies. The Government believe that the habit of automatically renewing those appointments has to stop. We need to bring fresh blood into jobs such as these.