HC Deb 14 February 2000 vol 344 cc429-30W
Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is her policy on paying her Department's employees overseas the British minimum wage. [106331]

Clare Short

DFID pays staff appointed in-country overseas according to good employer practice in the conditions prevailing in local labour markets. Pay rates are established by wage surveys among embassies, high commissions and major international companies and organisations. The UK minimum wage was set in relation to UK conditions and has no particular relevance in the overseas context—especially in those economies where inflation may be substantially greater than the low rates prevailing in Britain and where fluctuating exchange rates would make any sterling benchmark figure a continuously variable target.

Mr. Streeter

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the salary is for her Department's locally employed staff in(a) Harare, (b) Dhaka, (c) Nairobi and (d) Jura. [106642]

Clare Short

The information requested is as follows:

(a) Harare
Z dollars
Grande Minimum Maximum
A3 589,608 1,075,704
B1 388,752 702,648
B2 297,972 529,572
C1 214,080 412,872
C2 132,420 269,220
C3 106,548 178,872

(b) Dhaka
Taka
Grade Minimum Maximum
LE(E) 555,120 610,632
LEII 417,600 506,640
LEIII 232,440 310,980
LEIV 183,960 246,600
LEVb 154,500

(c) Nairobi
K shillings
Grade Minimum Maximum
SPSO 2,051,424 3,305,184
PSO 1,568,748 2,446,788
LEI 1,049,472 1,529,712

(c) Nairobi
K shillings
Grade Minimum Maximum
LEII 715,872 1,151,352
LEIII 407,052 819,492
LEIV 339,792 606,312
LEVa 226,536 375,936
LEVb 195,936 295,056

(d) DFID currently has no employees in Juba.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many of her Department's locally employed staff in(a) Harare, (b) Dhaka and (c) Pretoria are paid below the British minimum wage. [106326]

Clare Short

My Department pays its staff appointed in country in accordance with good employer practice and the conditions prevailing in local labour markets. The UK minimum wage has no particular relevance in those contexts-especially in those economies where inflation may be substantially greater than the low rates prevailing in the UK. Because of the effect of fluctuating exchange rates, the figure requested cannot be determined in absolute terms. It may be estimated by applying the exchange rate prevailing at any point in time to the following data on annual salary rates and the number of hours worked per week:

Grade Currency Minimum Maximum Number in grade Hours per week
(a) Harare
A3 Z dollars 589,608 1,075,704 1 37.5
B1 Z dollars 388,752 702,648 9 37.5
B2 Z dollars 297,972 529,572 12 37.5
C1 Z dollars 214,080 412,872 12 37.5
C2 Z dollars 132,420 269,220 4 37.5
C3 Z dollars 106,548 178,872 3 38
(b) Dhaka
LE(E) Take 555,120 610,632 2 35
LEI Taka 417,600 506,640 3 35
LEII Taka 232,440 310,980 8 35
LEIII Taka 183,960 246,600 6 35
LEVb Taka 154,500 2 35
(c) Pretoria
B1 Rand 110,460 171,360 2 36.5
B2 Rand 72,590 122,640 14 36.5
C1 Rand 52,500 81,445 8 36.5
C2 Rand 34,500 61,992 5 36.5

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