[holding answer 30 October 2006]: The information requested is as follows:
Number As at: 1 November 2004 367 1 April 2005 378 1 April 2006 403
Number As at: 1 November 2004 182 1 April 2005 198 1 April 2006 198
Number 1996 1— 1997 431 1998 431 1999 443 2000 587 2001 592 2002 629 2003 656 2004 645 2005 660 2006 648 1 No data available.
The MHS employed the following numbers of staff at its headquarters in York:
Financial year HQ staff 1995-96 39 1996-97 55 1997-98 73 1998-99 80 1999-2000 80 Note: Excludes individuals such as contractors who may have been working on site.
We are unable to provide data from 1994 (when the York site opened) up to 2003 as the work needed to provide this data would result in disproportionate costs.
The following table shows details of bonuses awarded to staff in DEFRA in each financial year since November 2004. Data prior to November 2004, is available only at disproportionate cost.
Period Number of staff awarded bonuses Proportion of work force (percentage) Total amount of bonuses paid (£) Highest bonus (£) November 2004 to March 2005 1513 6.7 179,879 7,616 April 2005 to March 2006 23,535 44.9 3,364,032 34,040 April 2006 to October 2006 31,019 13.9 1,362,657 15,000 (November) 2006 4(1,680) (23.1) (2,933,611) — 1 These figures represents in-year performance bonuses only, paid to staff at grade 6 or below. 2 This figure represents annual performance bonuses paid to staff in the SCS and at grade 6 and below. In addition it also includes in-year performance bonuses paid to staff at grade 6 and below. 3 This figure represents annual performance bonuses paid to staff in the SCS only and in-year performance bonuses paid to staff at grade 6 and below. 4 This figure includes annual performance bonuses about to be paid to staff at grade 6 and below in November salaries.
Separate performance bonus arrangements operate for staff in the SCS and those at Grade 6 and below.
For the SCS:
Non-consolidated cash payments, otherwise known as bonuses, reward in-year performances in relation to agreed objectives, or short term personal contribution to wider organisational objectives. Bonuses are paid in addition to base pay increases and do not count towards pension.
Bonuses are allocated by Departments from a “pot” expressed as a percentage of the SCS salary bill, which is agreed centrally each year following the SSRB recommendations. The intention is that bonus decisions should be differentiated in order to recognise the most significant deliverers of in-year performance.
For staff at grade 6 and below:
The High Performance Bonus Awards scheme introduced in April 2005, provide DEFRA staff with recognition and reward for delivery of an outstanding outcome or performance that significantly exceeds normal expectations. The process should provide staff at all grades with an opportunity to earn a bonus, and ensure that achievements in operational, policy and corporate services areas are recognised as being of equal esteem.
There are two types of award:
In-year high performance bonuses paid to individuals or teams in recognition of one-off achievements during the year; and
Annual high performance bonuses which are paid to the top 10 per cent. of performers in each DG for delivery of an outstanding outcome or performance sustained throughout the whole year.
“Gardening leave” is used very infrequently in exceptional circumstances and as a last resort; redeployment options and project work are always considered first. Decisions are taken at a business level and depend on circumstances and business need. Details, including costs, of such leave for former employees are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.