The Pay Review Bodies in Britain Under the Labour Government

The current Labour Government's public sector ‘modernization’ policy has placed new pressures on the 30-year-old Pay Review Body system. The Government is now expecting the six Review Bodies to make recommendations on pay reform and restructuring and key decisions on pay for public sector groups are being taken by Government outside of the Review Body process. Despite these problems, the Pay Review Body system still offers the main parties—the Government, employers and unions—a useful political device for handling pay determination at ‘arm's length’ in the public sector. While political expediency is the main defence for the Pay Review Bodies, the move to long-term agreements may undermine their role.