HC Deb 07 May 2002 vol 385 cc127-8W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on overtime payments for staff in his Department. [49124]

Angela Eagle

Non-industrial staff in the core Home Office work conditioned hours of 41 in the London area and 42 in the national area. Any authorised hours in excess of these conditioned hours worked by staff below the senior civil service will be paid as overtime as follows:

Staff up to and including executive officer (EO) level and equivalents Weekday: Time and a half Saturday: Time and a half plus a half time premium payment (this represents a total payment of double time) Sunday and bank holidays: Payment at double time Privilege holidays: Time off in lieu

Higher executive officers (HEOs) and senior executive officers (SEOs) and equivalents Weekday: Plain time rate Saturday: Plain time rate plus a half time premium payment (this represents a total payment of time and a half) Sunday and bank holidays: Payment at double time Privilege holidays: Time off in lieu

Grades 7s and 6s Generally Grades 7 and 6 do not receive overtime payments. However, they can receive discretionary payments for the hours they work in excess of conditioned hours, subject to a qualifying period. For work at weekends Grade 7s (but not Grade 6s) receive the following premium payments: Saturday: Half time Sunday: Plain time Staff who work as part of a shift roster, depending on the incidence of night duties, receive in addition to their normal salary shift disturbance allowance between 12.5 per cent. and 20 per cent. Higher rates may be paid in very exceptional circumstances. All overtime, premia and shift disturbance payments are subject to a ceiling. Overtime payments are not pensionable but premium payments are.

Agencies

In our Agencies, the arrangements are exactly as set out above except as follows:

United Kingdom Passport Agency Saturday overtime for HEOs and SEOs is paid at plain time rate, there is no additional premium payment.

Forensic Science Service All overtime premia and shift disturbance payments are paid at individual hourly rates, they are not subject to a ceiling. Shift disturbance allowance is paid between 10 per cent. and 25 per cent. Overtime has to be approved by managers in response to a business need and within budget limits and having regard to welfare and work life balance considerations.