Written question asked by Chris Mullin (Labour) on Tuesday, 2 March 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 4 March 2010. It was answered by Phil Woolas (Labour) on Wednesday, 17 March 2010 on behalf of the Home Office.

UK Border Agency: Pay

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the UK Border Agency was of overtime payments in the last 12 months; how many hours of overtime were claimed for; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: The cost to the United Kingdom Border Agency of overtime payments in the last 12 months (February 2009 to January 2010) was £10.5 million out of a total wage bill to the UKBA of £882.4 million.The above figure(s) do not include, for the first two months, overtime, or wages incurred within the Border Force Detection function moved to the United Kingdom Border Agency from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs in the machinery of Government transfers taking place on 1 April 2009. Because rates of overtime can differ in respect of the days on which work falls, and individual pay rates of the recipients concerned it is not possible to convert the above figures into hours of overtime claimed for, except at disproportionate cost.

Secondary information