Al R - yes SFA/SLA will continue to be subsidised
Jumping J - the HPI is being designed to increase choice and help to facilitate house purchase. It is not there to encourage personnel to move out of SFA/SLA. In terms of headless families; only 35% of RAF personnel currently reside in SFA now, so I cant see how this will have that much of a further impact on the 'community' life. As for the removal of a couple of pay increments, why is this much of a concern? It doesn't automatically follow that the top 2 levels will be removed so an effective cut, far from it, just that there will be fewer increment levels to get to the top levels we have now and that we may not necessarily have yearly increment rises. Perhaps this is an opportunity to start to enable an element of performance related pay progression for the top levels?
Get some time in - why should this adversely impact on NCA in the way you are referring. Note that the Defence Board have repeatedly stated that the new NEM offer is about recruitment and retention, so that is the basis in how workstrands are being delivered. Further any efficiencies being realised will be re-invested in the NEM Offer.
Deliverance - you are right the level of detail is very thin. However the RAF Roadshows through Jul/Aug will bring an enhanced level of knowledge. However, the workstrands are still work in progress so delivering loads of information is quite difficult.
Leon - the online survey is designed for multiple entries as more information becomes apparent to us we will wish to refresh what we submit. However this survey is not the only element of consultation. So you are aware KPMG are not leading the consultation, the MOD are.
KPMG IPSOS/MORI are providing trained individuals to assist with focus groups and interviews as the Services do not have the trained individuals in this regard. They also have excellent HR analytic tools (far in excess of what the MOD has) that can help with the quantitative and qualitative data analysis. Further, this consultation is being designed to be scientifically robust so the results we receive are statistically valid and reliable and not skewed by internal bias.
Melchett - I must have been doing the wrong survey as I didn't see any mention of cuts, just an opportunity for you to air basic views at this stage. Regards allowances see above to an extent, but the plan is to modernise the current allowances and make them simpler and easier for us to use. Any savings made in this regard will be reinvested in the overall NEM package. However, the allowances review will be sustained over a fair amount of time, for example overseas allowances need substantial restructure but that wont happen until the Army move from Germany for obvious reasons. In terms of the pay system, then if you were an airman then you would now all too well about the despised divisiveness of pay 2000, in partic the anomaly of high/low pay bands and the flip/flop effect on promotion. At least the 2 revised pay models that are being considered will correct these issues. And to re-iterate about HPI, it is about providing further choice, if you already have a house then it wont benefit, until you sell up and have the opportunity to buy another. The NEM cannot do everything for everyone.
I hope I haven't offended anyone with the above - it is just a quick download to try and help some commonly held misperceptions and cynicism (which I actually don't blame anyone for). However, I genuinely believe that this consultation will provide us with an opportunity to influence our offer for the better. My suggestion si to get involved where you can, keep an open mind, remember that the team who are driving this are on your side (they are predominantly military so have a vested interest to get this right), and that what the NEM is trying to do is provide an offer that is compatible not just now but for future generations.