Departmental Pay

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the hourly rate of pay was for the lowest paid staff in his Department in each of the last five years. (258016)

The DWP pays employees an annual salary and does not use an hourly rate.

The following table details the minimum of the AA/Band A National pay scale, along with an hourly rate equivalent. As at December 2008, 393 of the Department's total staff of 94,297 (full time equivalent) were on this rate.

£
	AA National minimum annual salary	AA National minimum hourly rate equivalent¹
2008	12,850	6.65
2007	12,590	6.52
2006	12,340	6.39
2005	11,750	6.08
2004	11,190	5.79
¹ The hourly calculation is based on net 37 hours per week, the required full-time working hours.

Volume 488: debated on Tuesday 3 March 2009