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Departments: Pay

Volume 463: debated on Monday 10 September 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many non-pensionable bonuses were awarded to members of staff in his Department in the last three years; and at what total cost. (146979)

The former Department of Trade and Industry awarded non-consolidated bonuses in two formats:

(a) Special bonuses to recognise performance in particularly demanding tasks or situations. Staff in receipt of a special bonus may also receive an annual performance award.

(b) Annual performance awards paid for highly successful performance as part of the annual pay award.

Based on the information available the number of staff receiving these awards in the last three years and total amount of bonuses for which this information can be provided is in the following table.

Special bonusesPerformance awards

Financial year1

Number of staff receiving2

Total value (£)

Number of staff receiving2

Total value (£)

Total value (£)

Percentage of pay bill

2004-05

1,261

498,592

1,274

1,563,180

2,061,772

1.18

2005-06

1,237

572,902

1,257

1,808,630

2,381,532

1.39

2006-07

919

491,669

1,286

2,532,180

3,023,849

1.81

1 Financial year running from 1 April to 31 March. 2 Data presented as number of staff awarded bonuses, rather than number of bonuses awarded (as stated in the question) based on the latest data available. Note: 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 pay-bill costs each year. For the SCS the Senior Salaries Review Body determines the level of expenditure to cover bonuses.