§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library the most recent review of(a) his Department's pay systems, (b) the pay systems of the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible and (c) the departmental equal pay action plan. [181357]
§ Maria EagleThe Department for Work and Pensions looks at its pay systems every year to inform the annual pay award process. There is no review report; the outcomes are captured in the pay offer we make to staff. Of the five non-departmental public bodies (NDPB), which the Department is responsible for, two—Remploy and the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority?complete a yearly review, which they will place in the Library by the end of August 2004. Both the Disability Rights Commission and the Health and Safety Executive are currently reviewing their pay progression arrangements. The outcomes of both these reviews will be placed in the Library when completed. The Rent Service's most recent review was completed in 2002, and we will arrange for a summary to be provided for the Library by the end of August 2004.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to reviewing its pay policies to ensure that they are compliant with the current equal pay legislation and do not either directly or indirectly discriminate against any group of employees.
An Equal Pay Audit was completed in January 2002 in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance. This was based on details from the agencies which formed the Department for Social Security. Following the creation of DWP and the consequent alignment of pay policies, the findings from this report are now out-of-date. The Department is currently undertaking an Equal Pay Audit to review existing DWP policies and to inform the further development of its reward strategy. Once this is complete, a copy of the action plan will be placed in the Library.
330WAlthough non-departmental public bodies (NDPB) are not committed to completing an equal pay review, they are encouraged by the Department to conduct them. NDPB's staffed by civil servants follow the Cabinet Office commitment (e.g. HSE). Of the five NDPB's that the Department is responsible for, two (the Disability Rights Commission and The Rent Service) have conducted equal pay reviews, and the relevant documents will be put into the library by the end of August 2004. The Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority has no current plans to complete an equal pay review, as they will cease to exist from 5 April 2005. Remploy will be making plans to complete an equal pay review on appointment of their new HR Director on the 26 July 2004.
The final NDPB, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), submitted a draft equal pay action plan to Cabinet Office in 2003. When a finalised version has been agreed that incorporates the findings from a current review of pay progression arrangements it will be placed in the Library.