HC Deb 19 February 1998 vol 306 cc822-4W
Mr. Salmond

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of his Department's employees by UK region, indicating the wage bill(a) in total and (b) by region in the last year for which figures are available and separately identifying the costs of London allowances and weightings. [30097]

Mr. Rooker

[holding answer 18 February 1998]: The tables set out the numbers of staff in the Department and its Agencies by region. Gross salaries (basic salary plus any pay additions and specialist allowances) have been used for the wage bill.

The Farming and Rural Conservation Agency has not been in existence for a 12 month period so it is not possible to provide salary data on an annual basis. In the month to 31 December 1997, the gross salaries amounted to £1,122,500.

In core-MAFF and its Agencies, London Weighting and the London Allowance no longer exist as separate allowances. On 1 April 1997, both allowances were consolidated into the basic pay of those staff receiving them.

Government Office Region Total staff Gross salaries (£)
Core MAFF
Eastern 449 6,130,100
E. Midlands 358 4,651,300
Merseyside 2 39,900
North East 93 1,228,500
North West 600 7,180,000
Scotland 83 2,342,900
London 1,790 39,024,000
South East 1,099 18,965,200
South West 966 11,927,200
Wales 132 2,250,500
W. Midlands 328 4,251,500
Yorks/Humberside 732 9,984,600
Total 6,632 107,975,700
Pesticides Safety Directorate
Yorks/Humberside 208 3,883,300
Total 208 3,883,300
Veterinary Medicines Directorate
South East 110 2,403,300
Total 110 2,403,300
Veterinary Laboratories Agency
Eastern 33 574,900
E. Midlands 38 616,700
North East 24 342,900
North West 50 758,100
Scotland 24 470,500
South East 768 11,912,200
South West 56 1,028,000
Wales 33 562,300
W. Midlands 67 1,009,900
Yorks/Humberside 30 458,800
Total 1,123 17,734,300
Central Science laboratory
Eastern 134 1,894,700
Yorks/Humberside 448 8,806,700
Total 582 10,701,400
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
Eastern 313 5,725,200
North West 3 56,100
South East 64 1,059,300
South West 63 1,032,300
Wales 22 433,600
Total 465 8,306,500

Region1 Total staff Gross salaries (£)
North 275 6,468,000
Scotland 168 3,871,000
South and East 214 5,323,000
South West 180 4,151,000
Wales 149 3,518,000
Central 182 4,347,000
Yorks/Humberside 46 1,254,000
Total 1,214 28,932,000
Farming & Rural Conservation Agency
Eastern 157 not known
Northern 179 not known
Western 143 not known
Wales 82 not known
London 29 not known
Total 590 not known
1 Regional boundaries differ from Government Office Regions.