To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what bonuses were paid by her Department in 2007-08; to which members of staff; and for what purposes. (240794)

In Home Office Headquarters and the UK Border Agency staff in all grades are eligible in certain circumstances to receive two kinds of bonus: special bonuses (of up to 5 per cent. of salary but not exceeding £1,947) and end-of-year appraisal bonuses (of up to 4 per cent. of their pay scale’s target rate). Special bonuses may be awarded at any time of the year for outstanding achievements by staff, including members of the senior civil service (SCS), in particularly demanding tasks or situations.

End-of-year appraisal bonuses are made to individuals in grades below the SCS who have made an exceptional contribution throughout the year. Members of the SCS can be awarded performance bonuses as set out in the Senior Salaries Review Body report number 62.

Staff in the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) receive end-of-year corporate Bonuses (up to £400), Change Agent bonuses (grades 6 and 7 only, up to 4 per cent. of salary) and special bonuses (upper limit normally £500).

Staff in the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) do not receive end-of-year bonuses, but can receive special bonuses (up to 5 per cent. of their grade's salary scale). For reasons of confidentiality, we are unable to release the names of individuals who received bonuses. Tables 1 and 2 give details of the distribution by grade of special bonuses and end-of-year appraisal bonuses respectively.