HC Deb 04 November 1992 vol 213 cc243-7W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by grade the numbers of staff and their cost for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93 for each executive agency for which he is responsible.

Mr. Mates

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the following Agencies under their respective Chief Executives.

Agency Chief Executive
Training and Employment Agency Mr. J. Crozier
Rates Collection Agency Mr. D. Gallagher
Social Security Agency Mr. A. Wylie
Ordnance Survey Agency Mr. M. Brand
Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency Mr. B. Watson
Compensation Agency Mr. J. Robinson

I have asked them to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from J. Crozier to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1992:

You asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he would list by grade the numbers of staff and their costs for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93 for each Executive Agency for which he is responsible.

As Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency (T and EA) (Northern Ireland), I provide at attached Table 1, the figures for 1991–92 and at Table 2 the estimated figures for 1992–93 for the T and EA.

Table 1—1991–92
Grade Number Cost (£)
Under Secretary (G3) 1 58,720
Unified Grade 4 (G4) 1 50,768
Assistant Secretary (G5) 4 167,409
Principal (G7) 22 677,745
Deputy Principal 47 1,221,601
Staff Officer 71 1,291,740
Executive Officer 1 108 1,721,228
Executive Officer 2 199 2,623,320
Administrative Officer 306 3,056,993
Administrative Assistant 133 1,058,221
Careers Adviser 4 73,341
Senior Careers Officer 18 301,826
Careers Officer 95 1,295,736
Trainee Careers Officer 28 399,956
Catering Manager 3 1 15,474
Deputy Principal Statistician 1 14,181
Senior Instructional Officer 41 884,905
Higher Instructional Officer 52 1,150,179
Instructional Officer 1 301 5,060,712
Training Service Manager 35 906,674
Deputy Principal Information Officer 1 21,336
Nurse 4 50,286
Support Grade Band 1 8 70,757
Support Grade Band 2 43 548,293
Psychologist (Grad Trainee) 2 17,373
Senior Psychologist 1 20,618
Senior Systems Analyst 1 26,588
Grade Number Cost (£)
Senior Personal Secretary 2 19,260
Typist 5 51,432
Management Training Advisor 1 25,884
Industrial Grades 118 1,035,317
Support Manager 3 1 9,414
Administrative Trainee 1 4,689
Total 1,656 23,931,976
Table 2
Estimated costs 1992–93
Grade Number Cost (£)
Under Secretary (G3) 1 57,269
Unified Grade 4 (G4) 1 53,015
Assistant Secretary (G5) 4 176,120
Senior Principal Officer (G6) 1 41,115
Principal (G7) 21 696,759
Deputy Principal 51 1,389,750
Staff Officer 70 1,355,620
Executive Officer 1 104.5 1,744,837
Executive Officer 2 193 2,702,193
Administrative Officer 288.1 3,138,273
Administrative Assistant 143 1,223,788
Careers Adviser 4 77,780
Senior Careers Officer 17 301,818
Careers Officer 102.6 1,594,712
Trainee Careers Officers 17 241,383
Catering Manager 3 1 16,662
Senior Instructional Officer 46 988,724
Higher Instructional Officer 55 1,088,890
Instructional Officer 286 5,274,126
Training Services Manager 36 981,000
Nurse 10 110,326
Support Grade Band 1 9 97,362
Support Grade Band 2 47 446,421
Psychologist (Grad Trainee) 2 28,846
Senior Psychologist 1 22,456
Senior Personal Secretary 1 15,724
Typist 5 51,955
Management Training Adviser 1 27,308
Industrial Grades 120 1,090,407
Support Manager 3 1 13,326
Total 1,639 25,047,965
Overtime and performance pay 119,462
25,167,427

Letter from D. Gallagher to Mr. Martin Redmond dated 2 November 1992:

As I am responsible for the Northern Ireland Rate Collection Agency (RCA), the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to a Parliamentary Question recently put down by you. This related to the numbers of staff, by grade, and their cost for 1991–92 and estimated figures for 1992–93.

I attach a table summarising the numbers of RCA staff by grade for 1991–92 and a corresponding estimate for 1992–93. Salary costs (excluding superannuation) for 1991–92 totalled £3,399,372 and the estimated salary costs for 1992–93 are £3.6 million.

Rate Collection Agency—Staffing figures
The staffing figures given below reflect the position as at 29 October 1992
Staff Grade Number of staff 1991–92 Estimated number of staff 1992–93
Chief Executive (Grade 6) 1 1
Principal 1 1
Deputy Principal 4 4
Staff Officer 11 12
Executive Officer I 22 23
Staff Grade Number of staff 1991–92 Estimated number of staff 1992–93
Executive Officer II 37 38
Administrative Officer 170 168
Administrative Assistant 10 11
Support Grade 1 1 1
Support Grade 2 9 9
Security Officer 1 0
Typist 2 2
Total number of Staff 269 270

Letter from A. Wylie to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 3 November 1992:

Your recent Parliamentary Question asking for the numbers of staff by grade and their cost for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93 for each Executive Agency in Northern Ireland has been passed to me for reply as regards the Social Security Agency as I am its Chief Executive.

I enclose the information you request but there are some points I should bring to your attention. Firstly, the figures cover not only work related to payment of social security benefits in Northern Ireland but also work undertaken on behalf of the Benefits Agency in Great Britain at our Paid Order Unit and Belfast Benefits Centre and work in connection with the collection and enforcement of National Insurance contributions.

Secondly, I should also explain that, inevitably, the numbers of staff in the Agency fluctuate throughout the year so I have provided figures as at 31 March 1992 and the estimated figures for 31 March 1993.

I hope you find this information helpful.

Social Security Agency: Manpower and Costs
Number
Staff numbers by grade at 31 March 1992
Grades 3 to 6 7
Principal 26
Deputy Principal 63
Staff Officer 167
Executive Officer Grade 1 348.5
SSO Grade 1/EO2 958
SSO Grade 2/AO 2,323
Administrative Assistant 903
Secretarial/Support 315
TOTAL 5,110.5
Costs £000s 67,203
Estimated staff numbers by grade at 31 March 1993
Grades 3 to 6 7
Principal 28
Deputy Principal 70
Staff Officer/Administrative Trainee 190
Executive Officer Grade 1 359
SSO Grade 1/EO2 964.5
SSO Grade 2/AO 2,449
Administrative Assistant 858.5
Secretarial/Support 316
TOTAL 5,242
Estimated costs £000's 73,906

Notes: Staff numbers quoted refer to full-time equivalent permanent staff.

Costs relating to overtime, casual staff and ERNI are included.

Letter from M. Brand to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 30 October 1992:

You have asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by grade the numbers of staff and their cost for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93 for each executive agency for which he is responsible.

Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland was launched as a Next Steps Agency on 1 April 1992. The estimated figures for 1992–93 which are listed below are based on the average numbers of staff in each grade over the whole year.

Unified Grade 5 1
Unified Grade 6 1
Unified Grade 7 3
Senior Mapping & Charting Officer 6
Higher Mapping & Charting Officer 17
Mapping & Charting Officer 126
Mapping & Charting Technical Grade 1 37
Mapping & Charting Technical Grade 2 8
Staff Officer 1
Administrative Officer 2
Administrative Assistant 7
Personal Secretary 1
Typist 2
Support Band 1 1
Support Band 2 3
Staff Costs
Salaries £3,628,000
Superannuation £574,200
Accommodation charges £470,000
Total £4,672,200

Letter from J. Watson to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 3 November 1992:

I am responding directly on behalf of the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency to your recent Parliamentary Question in which you requested a list by grade of the numbers of staff and their cost for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93 for each Executive Agency.

The Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency was established on 1 April 1992 and figures for 1991–92 are not applicable.

The estimated figures for 1992–93 are as follows:

Grade Number of Staff Costs (£K)
6 1 47
7 2 75
Deputy Principal 2 61
Senior Professional and Technical Officer 2 60
Higher Professional and Technical Officer 17 396
Staff Officer 3 68
Supervising Examiners 2 45
Professional and Technical Officer 116 2,273
Senior Driving/Traffic Examiners 3 59
Driving/Traffic Examiners 6 1117
Executive Officer Grade I 2 139
Executive Officer Grade II 3 149
Administrative Officer 25 1322
Administrative Assistant 57 1593
Typist/Telephonist 3 136
Industrial Staff 13 1202
Estimated Costs for Overtime and Casual Staff 282
4,724
1These estimated costs are inclusive of Employers Related National Insurance Contributions and Superannuation.

Letter from J. Robinson to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1992:

I refer to your recent Parliamentary Question about the numbers and cost of staff in executive agencies in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State has asked me to provide the information in respect of the Compensation Agency.

The Compensation Agency was launched on 1 April 1992. The current number of staff in post listed by grade is:

Grade Number in post
Chief Executive 1
Principal 2
Deputy Principal 4
Chief Law Clerk 1
Staff Officer 6
Executive Officer I 16
Law Clerk I 2
Executive Officer II 29
Administrative Officer 32
Administrative Assistant 31
Personal Secretary 1
Typing Manager 1
Typist 7
Messenger 3
Receptionist 1
Senior Accountant 1
Accountant 1
Senior Quantity Surveyor 1
Quantity Surveyor 1
Assistant Solicitor 1
Senior Legal Assistant
Legal Assistant
Total 152

The estimated salary costs for 1992–93 are £2.7 million [running costs £3.4 million].