1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 In response to the Equal Pay Task Force report 'Just Pay', the Government committed Departments and Agencies to review their pay systems and then address any equal pay gaps. The Scottish Executive completed its initial review of the pay system which operates in the SE Main bargaining unit ( SEM) by the deadline date of April 2003.
1.2 While the review did not uncover any major problems it did identify areas of the pay system where further work was required. The recommendations made in relation to these areas formed the basis of an agreed action plan.
1.3 Work has been ongoing since April 2003 to implement the recommendations made in the action plan.
1.4 One of the recommendations made in the report was that the Scottish Executive should be committed to an ongoing programme of monitoring and reviewing its pay system to ensure it is free from discrimination. This second review of the SEM pay system therefore implements that recommendation.