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Armed Forces: Pay

Volume 490: debated on Monday 23 March 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average pay is for (a) officers and (b) other ranks at each level in the armed services. (264965)

The information requested is provided in the table.

The figures include all regular officers and other ranks on the main pay scales. Regular officers and other ranks who are on separate bespoke pay spines, e.g. chaplains, medical and dental officers, professional aviators, officers promoted from the ranks, as well as reservists, are excluded. While Army ranks are shown, the figures also incorporate their equivalent ranks in the RN and RAF.

The averages are based on pay rates for 2008-09 and numbers as at January 2009.

Other ranks are allocated to either the higher or lower pay spines in accordance with their trade.

Rank

Average pay (£)

Officers

Chief of the Defence Staff

231,342.48

General

164,280.65

Lieutenant General

122,404.37

Major General

101,444.98

Brigadier

94,466.91

Colonel

80,381.43

Lieutenant Colonel

68,230.61

Major

50,487.64

Captain

39,433.73

Lieutenant/2nd Lieutenant

26,987.44

Other ranks—higher pay spine

Warrant Officer 1

42,882.83

Warrant Officer 2 and Staff Sergeant

39,175.30

Sergeant

33,609.32

Corporal

29,836.48

Lance Corporal and Private

25,335.81

Other ranks—lower pay spine

Warrant Officer 1

40,576.11

Warrant Officer 2 and Staff Sergeant

35,723.78

Sergeant

31,086.91

Corporal

27,421.40

Lance Corporal and Private

18,652.27

Other ranks—personnel under training

New Entrant

13,012.80

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the minimum pay (a) range and (b) level is for armed forces personnel serving on the frontline in Iraq or Afghanistan. (264966)

The minimum pay range for a trained service person serving in Iraq or Afghanistan is currently £16,227 to £27,599 depending on service, rank, length of service and trade. Details of this and other pay ranges for all service personnel up to the rank of Brigadier and equivalent are contained in the 37th- Report—2008 of the Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

In addition to basic pay, service personnel deployed on a six month operational tour in Iraq or Afghanistan will receive a tax free operational allowance of £2,380 plus a longer separation allowance worth a minimum of £1,161.