To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to ensure that those temporary and permanent employees at the same grade in his Department who are paid at an hourly rate are paid at the same rate. (244392)

All civil servants permanently employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) receive an annual salary. This is determined by a member of staff s grade, performance and, to some degree, length of service.

The FCO pays staff whom it employs directly on temporary contracts exactly the same rates of pay as permanent members of staff.

Some temporary staff are supplied by agencies. These staff are employed and paid by the agency concerned, which then charges a fee to the FCO. Individual agencies determine the rates of pay for their agency staff.