[holding answer 22 November 2006]: The Department of Trade and Industry awards non-pensionable bonuses in two formats:
Special bonuses for exceptional performance in particularly demanding tasks or situations. Staff in receipt of a special bonus may also receive an annual performance award.
Annual performance awards paid to highly successful performers as part of the annual pay award.
Based on the information available the number of staff receiving these awards, the proportion of the total work force they represent and the size of the single largest payment for each of the years for which this information can be provided is in the following table.
Number of staff receiving Proportion of the work force receiving (percentage) Total value (£) Number of staff receiving Proportion of the work force receiving (percentage) Total value (£) Largest single payment 2002-03 1n/a 1n/a 1n/a 1,125 30 1,579,906 5,432 2003-04 1,458 29 521,149 1,269 26 1,505,328 6,000 2004-05 1,261 26 498,592 1,274 26 1,563,180 8,000 2005-06 1,237 27 572,902 1,257 28 1,808,630 8,000 1 Figures for special bonuses paid in 2002-03 can be made available only at disproportionate costs due to a change in accounting computer systems. Notes: 1. Full data for 2006-07 are not yet available as the non-SCS pay award has not yet been implemented. For the SCS the largest performance bonus paid for those on standard contracts in 2006-07 is £15,000. For those on non-standard contracts (12 people in 2006-07) the largest performance bonus paid was £30,788. Figures for earlier years for non-standard contract bonus payments can be made available only at disproportionate cost. 2. In 2005-06 the total value of bonuses paid was approximately 1.4 per cent. of the Department’s total paybill. 3. The Special bonuses and performance awards for non-SCS staff are paid on a non-consolidated, non-pensionable basis and do not increase the Department’s paybill costs each year. For the SCS the senior salaries review body determines the level of expenditure to cover bonuses.