§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will place in the Library the most recent review of(a) her Department's pay systems, (b) the pay systems of the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible and (c) the departmental equal pay action plan. [181346]
§ Alun MichaelDefra completed an Equal Pay Review and submitted this together with an action plan to Cabinet Office in April 2003. The review covered core-Defra and two of its agencies, Pesticides Safety Directorate and Veterinary Medicines Directorate, for which the core-department has pay remit negotiating responsibility.
The review found that there were no significant pay gaps within the department provided that Defra's multi-year pay settlement was fully rolled out for future years up to and including 2005–06. Defra is now entering the third year of the four-year settlement.
The Equal Pay Review has been published within Defra and has been accessible to staff via the departments' intranet, Defra Online. A copy will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Senior managers will be considering the implications of Defra's Equal Pay Review Action Plan in conjunction with developing new pay arrangements for Defra for 2006 and beyond, following the end of the current multi-year pay settlement.
Agencies
Rural Payments Agency
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) submitted an Equal Pay Review and action plan to Cabinet Office in 2003 in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines. A further Equal Pay Review has now been completed together with a revised action plan. This review and implications of the action plan on RPA pay systems is currently being considered by senior managers and the Trade Unions. Senior managers will be asked to consider placing the review and action plan in the House of Commons Library when the action plan is agreed.
257WCentral Science Laboratory
The Central Science Laboratory completed its Equal Pay Review in April 2003 and the resultant action plan was submitted to the Cabinet Office in May 2003. The contents continue to be subject to consultation with the Trade Unions.
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
In line with Cabinet Office guidance, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) completed an Equal Pay Review and submitted this together with an action plan to Cabinet Office in April 2003.
The review found that there were no significant pay gaps as a result of gender difference. There were individual problems as a legacy from earlier pay arrangements; these were addressed in the action plan.
The Equal Pay Review has been published within CEFAS and the results made known to staff. Implementation of the action plan is the subject of ongoing discussions with the Trade Unions.
A copy of the Review will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Veterinary Laboratories Agency
The Veterinary Laboratories Agency completed its Equal Pay Review in April 2003 and the resultant action plan was submitted to Cabinet Office in May 2003. The review found that there were no significant pay gaps as a result of gender difference. Implementation of the action plan is the subject of ongoing discussion with the Trade Unions. A copy of the review will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Non-departmental public bodies
Non-departmental public bodies were not included in the Government commitment to carry out equal pay reviews by April 2003, although several have done so.