Departmental Pay (Hansard, 28 April 2003)

§ Ms Hewitt

My Department, including the Small Business Service Executive Agency has completed a review of its pay system in line with the commitment given by this Government in response to the EOC Task Force's "Just Pay" report. An Action Plan setting out how the Department plans to address the issues identified will shortly be in place.

Many of the NDPBs for which my Department is responsible have also completed reviews of their pay systems.

Agency Chief Executives will be replying on behalf of their organisations.

Letter from Dr. Roger Heathcote to Mr. John Bercow, dated 28 April 2003: You tabled a question on 1 April to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry asking what progress had been made with the pay review in her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible, with particular reference to the gender pay gap. I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Employment Tribunals Service (ETS), which is an agency of the DTI. In response to the Equal Opportunities Commission's Task Force "Just Pay" report, the Government has agreed that all departments and agencies will review their pay systems by April 2003 and prepare action plans to close any equal pay gaps. The ETS is in the process of finalising its review and action plan and will forward this to the Cabinet Office by 30 April 2003. ETS will share the review and action plan with the DTI and the PCS Trade Union.

Letter from Dr. J. W. Llewellyn to Mr. John Bercow, dated 28 April 2003: The Secretary for Trade and Industry has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) to your question on what progress has been made with the pay review in her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible, with particular reference to the gender pay gap; and if she will make a statement. 177W As a small specialist Agency of only 57 staff, NWML conducted an equal pay review in 2001, which did not identify any problems. We are currently in the process of completing a further review, which will be complete before the end of April.

Letter from Mr. Desmond Flynn to Mr. John Bercow, dated 28 April 2003: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question on pay reviews and "the gender pay gap" (2002/1997) insofar as it touches on the Insolvency Service Executive Agency. Following the commitment by the Government to ask all Departments and Agencies to respond to the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Task Force 'Just Pay' report, I can inform you that The Insolvency Service has completed a review of its pay system. An Equal Pay Action Plan designed to bridge any equal pay gaps, has been prepared and was provided to the Cabinet Office on the 31 March this year. The results of our review played a major role in designing the pay remit for the Insolvency Service for the years 2002/3 and 2003/4.

Letter from Caren Fullerton to Mr. John Bercow, dated 28 April 2003: I am replying to this parliamentary question, tabled on 1 April 2003, about progress made on pay reviews. The Patent Office is in the middle of a three-year pay deal which was informed by the first of two Equal Pay Reviews that have been completed. The second was completed towards the end of 2002 in anticipation of the Equal Opportunities Commission Task Force "Just Pay" requirement to prepare an action plan by April 2003 and to test the effectiveness of the measures put in place by the pay settlement. A third Equal Pay Review will be completed before the submission of the pay remit for the Patent Office's next pay deal in Spring 2004.

Letter from Claire Clancy to Mr. John Bercow dated 28 April 2003: I am responding to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on progress with pay reviews on behalf of Companies House, an Executive Agency of the DTI. Companies House is aware of the commitment made by the Government in response to the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Task Force 'Just Pay' report. We will meet the Government commitment to undertake an Equal Pay Review by the end of April 2003 and to prepare an action plan to address any gender gaps. Work is underway on this and on schedule. You may be interested to know that, over the last few years we have taken a number of steps to audit our pay and reward systems, for example the payment of special review awards. We have also been transforming our pay and reward systems to enable us to move to a system based on 'market rates'. In November 2002 the Trade Union accepted a 3-year pay deal which incorporated: the merger of job 'Ranges' to a broader based 'Band' structure; the removal of pay band overlaps; removal of pay allowances, supplements and enhancements for 'specialists'; movement to the market rate within a defined period; and innovative reward systems based on targets, savings and individual contribution.

178W

Letter from Ms R. J. R. Anderson to Mr. John Bercow, dated 28 April 2003: You asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, on 1 April 2003, what progress had been made with the pay review in her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible, with particular reference to the gender pay gap. I am replying on behalf of the Radiocommunications Agency. The final analysis, together with an action plan will be submitted to the Cabinet Office by the end of April in line with the Government's commitment given in response to the Equal Pay Commission's Task Force "Just Pay" report. The action plan takes us to end 2003. By then, and subject to the passage of the Communication Bill, the Agency is expected to be merged into the new communication regulator, Ofcom. Pay of staff who transfer will then be a matter for Ofcom.