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Home Office castigated over bonuses | |
(35 minutes later) | |
The Home Office has been branded irresponsible by MPs for paying out a total of £6.5m in bonuses to its staff. | The Home Office has been branded irresponsible by MPs for paying out a total of £6.5m in bonuses to its staff. |
A total of 11,672 bonuses were paid in 2012/13 to around 40% of | A total of 11,672 bonuses were paid in 2012/13 to around 40% of |
staff at the Home Office, which employs around 24,000 staff including | staff at the Home Office, which employs around 24,000 staff including |
agency workers, a report by the home affairs select committee said. | agency workers, a report by the home affairs select committee said. |
This equated to a mean bonus of £559, equivalent to 1.7% of the median Home Office salary of £32,799, the group of MPs added. | This equated to a mean bonus of £559, equivalent to 1.7% of the median Home Office salary of £32,799, the group of MPs added. |
The committee commended the Home Office permanent secretary, Mark Sedwill, | The committee commended the Home Office permanent secretary, Mark Sedwill, |
for not taking a bonus, although 18 senior civil servants within the | for not taking a bonus, although 18 senior civil servants within the |
department did receive one. | department did receive one. |
No further bonuses should be paid, the group of MPs added. | No further bonuses should be paid, the group of MPs added. |
Chairman Keith Vaz MP said: "It is irresponsible that the | Chairman Keith Vaz MP said: "It is irresponsible that the |
Home Office has continued to pay big bonuses despite presiding over many | Home Office has continued to pay big bonuses despite presiding over many |
failures … we should end the culture of rewarding failure." | failures … we should end the culture of rewarding failure." |
The Home Office – which is responsible for immigration and passports, | The Home Office – which is responsible for immigration and passports, |
drugs policy, crime policy and counter-terrorism – was required in the 2010 sSpending review to make cut savings of 23% in real terms by 2014-15. | drugs policy, crime policy and counter-terrorism – was required in the 2010 sSpending review to make cut savings of 23% in real terms by 2014-15. |
In the 2013 spending round the department committed to further cuts | In the 2013 spending round the department committed to further cuts |
in real terms of 6.1% in resource spending between 2014-15 and 2015-16. | in real terms of 6.1% in resource spending between 2014-15 and 2015-16. |
The committee's report into the work of the permanent secretary | The committee's report into the work of the permanent secretary |
said: "With the current financial pressures on the Home Office and the | said: "With the current financial pressures on the Home Office and the |
increased public scrutiny of bonuses it is irresponsible of the Home | increased public scrutiny of bonuses it is irresponsible of the Home |
Office to continue to pay out very significant sums in staff bonuses | Office to continue to pay out very significant sums in staff bonuses |
despite poor performance in many areas. | despite poor performance in many areas. |
"We recommend that no further bonuses should be paid until a | "We recommend that no further bonuses should be paid until a |
thorough review of performance against the whole range of Home Office | thorough review of performance against the whole range of Home Office |
activity has been undertaken." | activity has been undertaken." |
A Home Office spokesman said: "The Home Office is succeeding in | A Home Office spokesman said: "The Home Office is succeeding in |
cutting crime, reducing immigration and securing the UK from terrorism | cutting crime, reducing immigration and securing the UK from terrorism |
at the same time as reducing expenditure. | at the same time as reducing expenditure. |
"Staff who make exceptional contributions to the work of the Home | "Staff who make exceptional contributions to the work of the Home |
Office are eligible for special one-off payments – the majority of staff | Office are eligible for special one-off payments – the majority of staff |
given payments during 2012/13, the year of the London Olympics, | given payments during 2012/13, the year of the London Olympics, |
received less than £500." | received less than £500." |
Sedwill took up the post of permanent secretary in February 2013 and was previously director general at the | Sedwill took up the post of permanent secretary in February 2013 and was previously director general at the |
Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the prime minister's special | Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the prime minister's special |
representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. | representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. |
Elsewhere, the committee hit out at police procurement – the management of purchasing goods for the service – as "dismal". | Elsewhere, the committee hit out at police procurement – the management of purchasing goods for the service – as "dismal". |
The group of MPs said the department had the "sketchiest idea" of | The group of MPs said the department had the "sketchiest idea" of |
what was happening on police procurement, which it was relying on to | what was happening on police procurement, which it was relying on to |
deliver much of its financial savings. | deliver much of its financial savings. |