To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much funding his Department has allocated for (a) year-end and (b) in-year bonuses for staff in 2009-10. (300431)

For 2009-10 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) allocated the following amounts for variable pay in 2009-10:

(a) £7,693,418

(b) £532,667.

These bonus figures are based on a total pay bill of £213,613,185. The FCO does not pay year-end bonuses as such. Government policy is to differentiate reward to civil servants more effectively and to link it directly to performance. As a result a higher proportion of annual reward now takes the form of non-consolidated, non-pensionable bonus payments (variable pay). The FCO arrangements for bonus payments mirror those adopted by other Whitehall Departments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. (300654)

Neither the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), its executive agencies (FCO Services and Wilton Park) or its non-departmental public bodies make bonus payments to consultants or individual contractors.

Incentive regimes are rarely used for contracts with consultants and individual contractors. If incentives are included in a contract they are negotiated on a case by case basis taking care to ensure value for money. No central record is maintained of such contractual provisions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff in his Department received bonus payments in 2008; 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. (300895)

During the financial year 2008-09, a total of 4,712 staff received a bonus payment. This represents 80 per cent. of the total workforce.

The total amount of bonuses paid was £7,597,836 and the largest single payment was £30,000. The average amount per employee was £1,286.