asked the Minister for the Public Service if he will give details of the existing annual leave arrangements of civil servants in (a) established grades and (b) industrial grades according to pay, salary levels and period of service.

Full details of the current annual leave allowances are set out in a tabular statement which I propose to circulate.

Following is the statement:

Tabular statement showing annual leave allowances in the Civil Service at 1 December 1984

(a) Non-industrial (established and unestablished)

NOTE: The reference to a specified number of years service normally means service in the particular grade concerned. Credit is however given in certain circumstances for prior service in another grade in the Civil Service or for service elsewhere in the public service.

(b) Industrial (non-established) —

A flat allowance of 18 days a year.

Determination of Annual Leave—

Annual leave for grades in the non-industrial Civil Service (established and unestablished) is determined on the following basis:

(a) The various grades are divided into eight groups, fixed primarily by reference to salary maxima. The lowest group in this hierarchy (subordinate grades such as paperkeepers, messengers and cleaners) has a leave allowance of 18 days per annum; the highest (grades with salaries in excess of the Principal Officer maximum) has an allowance of 31 days.

(b) As a general rule, a recruitment grade (i.e. a grade to which appointments are made by public open competitions) has a graduated leave allowance; a promotion grade (i.e. a grade to which appointments are made solely by way of internal promotion) has a flat annual leave allowance.

The current annual leave allowance for industrial grades (none of whom are established) is 18 days.