To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) bonuses and (b) incentives have been paid to (i) consultants and (ii) contractors engaged by his Department in each of the last three years. (300625)

The Department for International Development (DFID) currently has one contract let centrally that includes a provision for bonuses. DFID's contract for security guarding and reception services with ISS Pegasus includes a provision for team based performance incentives for their 13 staff. £500 has been paid to each staff member in each of the last two years.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) bonuses and (b) incentives have been paid to (i) consultants and (ii) contractors engaged by executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible in each of the last three years. (300626)

No bonuses or incentives have been paid to such consultants or contractors over the last three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff in his Department received bonus payments in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09; what proportion of the total work force they represented; what the total amount of bonuses paid was; what the largest single payment was; and if he will make a statement. (300894)

Department for International Development (DFID) senior civil service (SCS) members are eligible for a non-consolidated performance award. Awards are intended to reward delivery of personal business objectives during the reporting year or other short-term personal contributions to wider organisational objectives. In considering SCS members for an award, line managers are asked to take into account:

performance against agreed priority business objectives or targets

total delivery record over the year

relative stretch (ie the challenge of the job compared to that of others)

response to unforeseen events that affected the performance agreement.

Awards are funded within existing pay bill controls, have to be re-earned each year against the pre-determined criteria above and, as such, do not add to future pay bill costs.

The annual size of the non-consolidated performance pay pot for SCS is based on recommendations by the independent Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB).

The following table contains, for the last two financial years: (i) the number of SCS who received an award; (ii) the percentage of all SCS who received an award; (iii) the largest single payment; and (iv) the total value of awards made.

Staff in grades below the SCS (HCS) are eligible for a non-consolidated performance award. Awards are intended to reward both the delivery of personal business objectives during the reporting year and demonstration of DFID’s values.

The following table contains, for the last two financial years: (i) the number of HCS who received an award; (ii) the percentage of all HCS who received an award; (iii) the largest single payment; and (iv) the total value of awards made.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the (a) average and (b) highest non-consolidated performance-related payment was in cash terms for a senior civil servant in his Department in each of the last five years. (301598)

Department for International Development (DFID) senior civil service (SCS) members are eligible for a non-consolidated performance award. Awards are intended to reward delivery of personal business objectives during the reporting year or other short-term personal contributions to wider organisational objectives. In considering SCS members for an award, line managers are asked to take into account:

performance against agreed priority business objectives or targets;

total delivery record over the year

relative stretch (ie the challenge of the job compared to that of others)

response to unforeseen events that affected the performance agreement

Awards are funded within existing pay bill controls, have to be re-earned each year against the pre-determined criteria above and, as such, do not add to future pay bill costs.

The annual size of the non-consolidated performance pay pot is based on recommendations by the independent Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB).

The table shows the average (median) award and the highest single award in each of the last five financial years.