Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) direct employees, (b) outsourced workers and (c) agency workers in executive agencies which report to her Department are paid less than the Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.

All permanent members of staff directly employed by Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) are paid the Living Wage or above.

HMPO can confirm all agency workers engaged by HMPO after a 12 week qualifying period are paid the equivalent of a permanent member of staff on the starting point of the equivalent grade pay scale. This is in accordance with the requirements placed upon the Department by the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 (as amended). This therefore means all agency staff after the 12 week qualifying period are paid the living wage or above.

HMPO does not keep information on the level of pay of staff employed by organisations contracted to provide services within HMPO.