The net pay trend indicators for civil servants of upper, middle and lower salary bands are 6.3%, 5.29% and 3.9%, after deducting the cost of civil service increments paid in 2007-08 from the gross pay trend indicators, the Civil Service Bureau says.

The announcement follows the Pay Trend Survey Committee's validation today of the 2008 Pay Trend Survey results. The survey found the average pay adjustments of 97 companies for the 12-months ending April 1 were 4.47% for the lower salary band, 5.87% for the middle and 6.9% for the upper band.

The cost of civil service increments over the total payroll cost for the upper, middle and lower salary bands were 0.6%, 0.58% and 0.57%.

Pay Trend Survey Committee chairperson Virginia Choi said the actual level of civil service pay adjustment will have to be determined by the Government, which will consider the state of the economy, the Government's fiscal position, changes in the cost of living, the staff sides' pay claims and civil service morale.