Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Prime Minister how many of the staff of (a) the Exchequer and Audit Department and (b) the Audit Commission for England and Wales have annual salaries of (i) under £15,000, (ii) between £15,000 205W and £30,000, (iii) between £30,000 and £60,000, and (iv) over £60,000; what percentage of the total staff each category represents in each case; and what is the salary of the Comptroller and Auditor General and of the chairman of the Audit Commission in England and Wales.
§ The Prime MinisterOn(a) the information requested is as follows:
number of staff with annual salaries of:
- (i) under £15,000—696 (84 per cent. of total staff)
- (ii) between £15,000 and £30,000—136 (16 per cent. of total staff)
- (iii) between £30,000 and £60,000—1 (negligible per cent. of total)
- (iv) over £60,000—nil.
The annual salary of the Comtroller and Auditor General is £40,500.
On (b), under the provisions of schedule 3 to the Local Government Finance Act 1982, Ministers are responsible only for appointing the chairman and members of the Audit Commission, and for the first appointment of its controller—subsequent appointments of the controller will be made by the commission, and require only the approval of the Secretary of State. The appointment of all other staff — including their remuneration and other terms and conditions of service—is for the commission to determine. The present salary of the chairman is £8,097 pa, that of other members £1,445 pa, and that of the controller £60,000 pa.
I understand that the Audit Commission has already prepared a detailed explanation of its proposals for salary scales, for submission to the select Committee on Public Accounts. I will ensure that my hon. Friend is sent a copy. I have also asked the chairman of the commission to write to my hon. Friend on the specific points he has raised.