To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of staff in his Department were making additional voluntary contributions to their pensions in each of the last two years. (193559)

There were 65 members of staff in the Northern Ireland Office (3 per cent. of the total number of staff employed by the Department) making additional voluntary pension contributions through deductions from their pay in February 2007.

This has decreased to 63 members of staff (but remains at 3 per cent. of the total number of staff employed by the Department) who were making additional voluntary pension contributions through deductions from their pay in February 2008.