APRIL 1980
109
HATE Alth
the pay award due to the Services from April has not dominated theconditions of service scene to the degree of recent years, -
-
toeusing sharply announcement expected this month.
thoughts
are now
AFPRB is in the hands of the Prime Minister in late March or early April,.and the new pay rates announced two or three weeks later.
comparability
The existence of a scheme which. if introduced, would allow special rail travel facilities for the Services has been widely known for several months, says an
M.P., who is now asking why announcement has
been made.
yet
It is understood that negotiations over introduction of a rail card scheme have been continuing for some time and that it is hoped they will conclude
shortly.
long
-Service personnel with memories will recal concessionary rail fares for the Forces in the ast. If any new scheme strong financial inducement towards rail travel it could make considerable contribution both to travel convenience and to Service family
offeretl)
HIGH COST
B'l’l 1\§lI1hCn_l5 Il . going to hapi Peter osport M.P. _Viggers. "This [particulNaarly important tor the oyal ii.
at is t c
is
ttcstion 0 r.
because sailors in Portsmout ships can find thcmscli-es at and thc_high cost of rail travc makes it impossible for them to get home on shon leaves." he stated. Mentionin that the isuc of a s eeial laeiities rail card to rvice pe_rsontt_el had been under consideration he said he to M015 about the was matter a possibly raising it in the Commons.
Plymouthi
writinng
the
the report of Traditionally, the
TRA VEl. AlD ON CARDS?
no
on
With full comparabilitystill the watchword from the Service point of view, Royal Navy members will have noted with interest reports of wage settlements last year averaging about 20 per cent.. and also seen the reported current restriction of 14 r cent. in sortie parts of the pu lie sector.
Thousands of bravedacoldBarrowmomlngto H. .S. to Invincible as stiesailedtoi-Portsmouth 90055)‘! acceptance lntottio Royal sadtymlss
‘:3
will
lhoshlpatgrd
inenwhohavebeenpartotthe scenoduringttietlmeot building at Vlclters. Ptt:tn:CPO(PriutJC. 5 my .
for the Services is outcome guesswork at this stage —somc mi ht speculate on a figure between t c
Final
two.
In an event it should be remembered t at the level of we c settlements re_ rtcd may be scd on oups w ich do not corrcs rid with t e "comparators" use for the AFPRB pay recommendations. No doubt the Services will also be searching for other ways of enhancing the settlement. It would not be
SUNBATHERS
.
.
.
surprising if.
in previous ‘cars. a case were ut for increasingt e level at the X-_ actor on the basis that the had changed to the elements involved disadvantage of the Services. When this submission was made last year. the AFPRB concluded that the arguments then put forward did not let them reach any firm conclusion. as
Retention Committal Pay was last increased in 1974 and a review here has to be a Any improvement in this ield cou d. of course. act as a fillip to
possibilit
.
retention. It will be recalled that last year accommodation char es were "frozen" as the have en since 1977) wliie the eview Body continued its examination of the basis of these charges. A sizeable increase could be on the cards this time. Food char es could rise in line with the Retail rice Index. remaining, however, good value for money.
Two more for patrol Two 75-metre offshore patrol vessels now being built b Hall Russell ot Aberdeen are to purchased for the Royal Navy. The purchase is subject to satisfactory conclusiontheof contractual negotiations with shipbuilders.
The new-style OPVs are based on the result of a design contract let by the MOD.