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Bonuses: DBERR

Volume 703: debated on Tuesday 22 July 2008

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many staff working for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform were paid a bonus in each of the past five years; and what was the total amount of bonuses paid by the department. [HL4695]

The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (previously DTI) awards non-consolidated bonuses in two formats:

1. Special bonuses to recognise performance in particularly demanding tasks or situations. Staff in receipt of a special bonus may also receive an annual performance award.

2. Annual performance awards paid to highly successful performers as part of the annual pay award.

Based on the information available the number of staff receiving these awards, as a proportion of the total workforce they represent, total amount of bonuses and the size of the single largest payment for which this information can be provided is in the table below.

Financial YearSpecial BonusesPerformance AwardsLargest single payment of Bonuses

Number of staff receiving

Proportion of the workforce receiving

Total Value

Number of staff receiving

Proportion of the workforce receiving

Total Value

2007 - 08(1)

1238

36%

£693,386

1065

31%

£2,265,502(4)

£16,500

2006 - 07

919

20%

£491,669

1286

29%

£2,532,180

£15,000

2005 - 06

1237

27%

£521, 902

1257

28%

£l,808,630

£8,000

2004 - 05

1261

26%

£498,592

1274

26%

£1,563,180

£8,000

2003 - 04

1458

29%

£572, 149

1269

26%

£1,505,328

£6,000

(1) Financial year running from 1 April to 31 March.

(2) In 2007-8 the total value of bonuses paid was approximately 1.5% of the total department's paybill.

(3) The special bonuses and performance awards for non-SCS staff are paid on a non-consolidated, non-pensionable basis and do not increase the department's paybill costs each year. For the SCS the Senior Salaries Review Body determines the level of expenditure to cover bonuses.

(4) Includes staff who were transferred from DTI to DIUS as part of the June 2007 Machinery of Government Changes as these staff received a DTI/BERR pay award in 2007. Does not include those staff transferred into BERR from Cabinet Office and the Department for Communities and Local Government as part of the June 2007 Machinery of Government Changes as these staff received Cabinet Office and DCLG pay awards respectively in 2007.