Meetings with MPs and details of IPSA's staff and rent costs

Request

  1. What meetings representatives from IPSA have had with individual Members of Parliament to discuss policy issues?

  2. How much rent IPSA is to pay for the use of office accommodation in Portland House?

  3. What bonus schemes are in place for employees of IPSA?

  4. What pension scheme arrangements are in place for employees of IPSA?


Response

Question 1: What meetings representatives from IPSA have had with individual Members of Parliament to discuss policy issues?

I can confirm that IPSA holds some of the information that falls within the description specified in your request. However, IPSA has estimated that it will cost more than the appropriate limit to consider your request. The appropriate limit is set at £450 (Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the FOIA). This represents the estimated cost of determining whether IPSA holds the information, and locating, retrieving and extracting the information. Consequently, IPSA is not obliged by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to respond to your request (see section 12(1)).

If you would like to narrow the scope of this request we would be happy to consider it again.

Question 2: How much rent IPSA is to pay for the use of office accommodation in Portland House?

IPSA currently pays £348,000 per annum for its IPSA office in Portland House.

Question 3: What bonus schemes are in place for employees of IPSA?

IPSA has no bonus schemes in place for its employees. There is, however, a Reward and Recognition Scheme for IPSA staff. The aim of this scheme is to recognise and reward behaviours that support IPSA’s values, deliver extra-ordinary service to our users or outstanding pieces of work. The reward is limited to vouchers worth up to £20 per person for the five award categories.

Please note that civil servants seconded to IPSA are covered by the policies of their departments. Pay policy varies by government department. Typically, policies provide for non-consolidated performance bonuses relating to the 2009-10 performance year to be awarded in 2010 to top performers. Recognising and rewarding top performers is consistent with the Civil Service Reward Principles launched in 2006. These payments will have been budgeted for within the spending plans approved by HM Treasury.

Question 4: What pension scheme arrangements are in place for employees of IPSA?

The Parliamentary Standards Act 2009 provides for IPSA to have access to Civil Service Pension arrangements. IPSA has been admitted to the Civil Service Pension arrangements. Transfers from the House of Commons Pension Scheme will be on a like-for-like basis.

Ref:
FOI036
Disclosure:
13 July 2010
Categories:
IPSA - FINANCIALIPSA - OPERATIONSIPSA - STAFF
Exemptions Applied:
Cost limit