Staff employed at Parliament Buildings and any associated costs

Information Standards Freedom of Information Response

Our Ref: FoI 36-19

7 January 2020

Freedom of Information Act 2000

I can confirm that the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission holds information relevant to your request of 24 November 2019.  In your request you asked for the following information:

“a) How many staff (excluding casuals and temporary) were employed by the Assembly Commission at 31 March 2017?

b) Excluding casuals and temporary staff, how much was paid in salaries at the 31st March 2017?

c) How many staff (excluding casual and temporary) were employed by the Assembly Commission at 31st October 2019?

d) Excluding casuals and temporary staff, how much was paid in salaries at 31st October 2019?

e) How many staff are currently outposted, that is, employed by the Commission but doing other duties outside the work of the Assembly?”

We sought clarification of your request on 4 December 2019 as follows:

1. I would like to knowif you are only seeking the salaries specifically paid to secretariat staff for the months of March 2017 and October 2019 as referred to in questions (b) and (d) of your request.

2. By salaries, do you also require ERNI and Pension Contributions etc. for the two months specifically mentioned?

You responded on 6 December 2019 as follows:

“I am seeking the cost of salaries paid to secretariat staff (excluding casuals and any temporary staff) for the months of March 2017 and October 2019.

As ERNI and Pension Contributions are factors within the total salary bill of secretariat staff, I would ask that the figures provided should include these.”

Please find the information requested attached at Appendix A.

If you feel that the information we have provided does not meet your request fully, please contact this office as soon as possible.  You have the right to request a formal review by the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission and if you wish to do so, please write to me at the above address.

If after such an internal review you are still unhappy with the response, you have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,  Cheshire SK9 5AF who will undertake an independent review.

If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me.  Please remember to quote the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

Data Protection and Information Standards Officer

Appendix A

a) How many staff (excluding casuals and temporary) were employed by the Assembly Commission at 31 March 2017?

There were 328.5 Full Time Equivalents (FTE)staff employed on 31 March 2017.

b) Excluding casuals and temporary staff, how much was paid in salaries at the 31 March 2017?

The cost of salaries for the month of March 2017 was:

Salaries* - £947,220.88

ERNI - £98,816.42

Pension - £219,158.02

Total - £1,265,195.32

*Salary includes Basic, Shift Allowance, Overtime, SMP/SSP, Allowances

c) How many staff (excluding casuals and temporary) were employed by the Assembly Commission at 31 October 2019?

There were 295.6 FTE staff employed on 31 October 2019.

d) Excluding casuals and temporary staff, how much was paid in salaries at the 31 October 2019?

The cost of salaries for the month of October 2019 was:

Salary* - £948,780.06

ERNI - £99,083.04

Pensio - £292,474.40

Total - £1,340,337.50

*Salary includes Basic, Shift Allowance, Overtime, SMP/SSP, Allowances

e) How many staff are currently outposted, that is, employed by the Commission but doing other duties outside the work of the Assembly?

There are currently 111.4 FTE staff employed by the Commission but working for other public sector entities.