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Advantage West Midlands

Volume 512: debated on Tuesday 29 June 2010

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people are employed by Advantage West Midlands; how many people compose the non-executive Board of Advantage West Midlands; and what the total cost to the public purse of payments to (a) employees and (b) Board members is to date.

[Official Report, 17 June 2010, Vol. 511, c. 530W.] (2852)

The following tables show:

(a) Number of and cost of employees

Number/£

Number of employees headcount (full-time equivalent (322))

346

Cost (£)

18,358,000

Staff numbers are as at the snapshot reference date 31 March 2010 and cost is for the financial year 2009-10. Costs for payroll employees are defined as pay bill i.e. salary, ERNICs and pension; and

(b) Number of and cost of board members

Number/£

Number of board members (including chair)

15

Cost (£)

231,412

Board member costs are from the 2008-09 financial year and include chair pension costs and board travel expenses. Board members now receive a remuneration of £8,666 per annum for minimum of two days per month with no pension entitlement.

The chair receives a remuneration of £81,718 per annum for three days a month and receives a pension.

Under the RDA Act 1998 an RDA board must have 15 members with the majority being business positions.

Letter of correction from Mr Mark Prisk:

In my reply of 17 June to the question from the hon. Member for Tamworth (Christopher Pincher) I said “The Chair receives a remuneration of £81,718 Per annum for three days a month and receives a pension.” I regret that due to an administrative error this is incorrect and the answer should have indicated that the Chair receives the same remuneration for three days a week.

The correct answer should have been:

The following tables show:

(a) Number of and cost of employees

Number/£

Number of employees headcount (full-time equivalent (322))

346

Cost (£)

18,358,000

Staff numbers are as at the snapshot reference date 31 March 2010 and cost is for the financial year 2009-10. Costs for payroll employees are defined as pay bill i.e. salary, ERNICs and pension; and

(b) Number of and cost of board members

Number/£

Number of board members (including chair)

15

Cost (£)

231,412

Board member costs are from the 2008-09 financial year and include chair pension costs and board travel expenses. Board members now receive a remuneration of £8,666 per annum for minimum of two days per month with no pension entitlement.

The chair receives a remuneration of £81,718 per annum for three days a week and receives a pension.

Under the RDA Act 1998 an RDA board must have 15 members with the majority being business positions.