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Dept of Social Security;Social Security Benefits Agency

Answer

Mrs. Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Perth (Ms Cunningham) of 2 July 1999, Official Report, columns 305-07, if he will list the (a) number of staff employed, (b) wage costs and (c) running costs of each of the branch network offices of the Benefits Agency in the Highland Region and the Western and Northern Isles. [90927] Mr. Timms: The administration of Benefits Agency offices is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member. Letter from Peter Mathison to Mrs. Margaret Ewing, dated 14 July 1999: The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent question, pursuant to his answer of 2 July to the honourable Member for Perth, if he will list the (a) number of staff employed, (b) wage costs and (c) running costs of each of the branch network offices of the Benefits Agency (BA) in the Highland Region and the Western and Northern Isles. The number of staff employed by the BA within the Highlands Western and Northern Isles is attached at appendix A. Data on wage and running costs cannot be provided by individual site. Costs are calculated on a district basis. That information is provided for the districts within Area Directorates 12 and 13 which cover Scotland. Please see the attached tables covering the 1998/99 financial year (see appendix B). I hope this information is helpful. Appendix A _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Office BA district Staff Benbecula Highlands and Islands 1 Buckie Highlands and Islands 5 Dingwall Highlands and Islands 1 Elgin Highlands and Islands 79 Fort William Highlands and Islands 26 Invergordon Highlands and Islands 3 Inverness Highlands and Islands 155 Kirkwall Highlands and Islands 11 Nairn Highlands and Islands 1 Portree Highlands and Islands 1 Stornoway Highlands and Islands 41 Thurso Highlands and Islands 1 Wick Highlands and Islands 41 Lerwick Grampian and Shetland 20 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Appendix B: AD12 £ _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Expenditure Salaries Goods/services Estate costs Sub-total CSUS District spend GLW North 8,403,000 649,000 2,757,000 3,406,000 -- 11,809,000 GLW South 9,990,000 787,000 2,470,000 3,257,000 -- 13,247,000 GLW East 5,399,000 444,000 1,609,000 2,053,000 -- 7,452,000 Argyll and West 6,181,000 610,000 1,866,000 2,476,000 -- 8,657,000 Highlands and Islands 4,966,000 587,000 1,428,000 2,015,000 -- 6,981,000 South West Scotland 8,071,000 895,000 2,023,000 2,918,000 -- 10,989,000 Clyde Coast and Renfrew 7,121,000 563,000 1,918,000 2,481,000 -- 9,602,000 Other 6,718,000 5,835,000 375,000 6,210,000 -- 12,928,000 Total 56,849,000 10,370,000 14,446,000 24,816,000 35,703,000 117,368,000 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Notes: Other--This covers all expenditure on Centralised Area Teams, Accommodation and Office Services and Central Support Unit Scotland Central Services--This covers all Operational Support Directorate and centrally funded projects costs Appendix B: AD13 £ _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Expenditure Salaries Goods/services Estate costs Sub-total CSUS District spend East Edinburgh and 7,090,000 659,000 730,000 1,389,000 -- 8,479,000 Borders Lothian West and North 5,709,000 546,000 1,606,000 2,152,000 -- 7,861,000 Edinburgh Fife 5,072,000 539,000 1,506,000 2,045,000 -- 7,117,000 Tayside 6,077,000 599,000 1,738,000 2,337,000 -- 8,414,000 Grampian and Shetland 4,616,000 577,000 1,336,000 1,913,000 -- 6,529,000 Lanarkshire 8,870,000 822,000 2,793,000 3,615,000 -- 12,485,000 Forth Valley 4,260,000 525,000 1,205,000 1,730,000 -- 5,990,000 Other 1,585,000 904,000 2,458,000 3,362,000 -- 4,947,000 Total 43,279,000 5,171,000 13,372,000 18,543,000 -- 61,822,000 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Note: Other--This covers all expenditure on Area Personnel Unit, Area Director's Support Team and secondment and voluntary early retirement

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

90927; 335 c305-7W;335 c307-9W

Session

1998-99

Subjects

Costs Highlands of Scotland Pay Staff Offices Scotland Social Security Benefits Agency Operating costs

Contains statistics

Yes