Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing a pay review body for the civil service.

Pay arrangements for civil servants below the Senior Civil Service is delegated to departments as separate employers. This has been the case since 1996. The delegated pay system allows departments to be able to put in place pay and reward arrangements tailored to their own business needs. Ultimately it is for departments to decide on their pay award and how it is structured in light of their own affordability and priorities, and to negotiate with their trade unions. There are no plans for an independent review body for Civil Service pay.