Andrew Gwynne – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Gwynne on 2015-10-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much was paid in (a) year end and (b) in-year bonuses to officials of his Department in each of the last three years.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Since 2010-11, in line with wider Government policy, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has restricted Performance Related Pay (PRP) awards for senior civil servants within the FCO to the top 25% of performers. Since April 2015 the FCO has restricted PRP awards for UK based staff across all grades to the top 25% of performers.

In providing the below figures, we have interpreted ‘last three years’ to be the last three financial years. Amounts paid to officials working for the FCO, FCO Services and to those on interchange on FCO terms and conditions have been included within the figures provided.

The following amounts in (a) year end and (b) in-year bonuses were paid to FCO officials in each of the last three financial years, we also note the numbers of staff who received the bonuses during each of the financial years:

FY14-15 a) £6,274,254.70; 4160 officers received a year PRP
b) £575,894.46 ; 1714 officers received an in-year PRP

FY13-14 a) £6,654,783.10; 4271 officers received a year end PRP
b) £566,880.52; 1642 officers received an in-year PRP

FY12-13 a) £6,658,384.20; 4076 officers received a year end PRP
b) £757,403.98; 2492 officers received an in-year PRP

Non-consolidated PRP is only paid to reward excellence, for example to recognise and incentivise those responsible for delivering high quality public services and savings to the taxpayer.