One percent of a lot is... a lot for the senior officers.
One percent of not a lot is... not a lot for most people and less than a childs family allowance* for most. (*Taken away recently)
A reduction of food charges is very generous considering we are all now on Pay-As-You-Dine negating any 'food charges' being in place at all.
I guess it is the best we could hope for given public spending at the moment, but all things considered, it equates to a pay cut* IMHO.
*Based upon rising energy costs and that almost all servicemen travel well above the average mileage year by year.