Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, how many and what proportion of (a) the Law Officers' Departments' staff and (b) staff working for companies contracted by the Law Officers' Departments who are paid less than the Living Wage are (i) white British and (ii) from an ethnic minority background.

The CPS currently employs one member of staff whose salary is below the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation. As a result of proposed changes to pay ranges, this employee will be paid a salary in excess of the living wage by 1^st April 2015.

No direct employees of the Treasury Solicitor’s Office are paid less than the living wage. However, at 30 September 2014 The Treasury Solicitor’s Office had eleven temporary workers in London receiving less than the living wage although this position will change after 12 weeks of engagement in line with the Agency Workers legislation. At that point, their salary will increase to a higher rate of pay comparable to the rate of a direct employee. All other temporary workers are paid more than the living wage.

In order to protect personal data of individuals, we are unable to provide any details of gender or ethnicity (where held), given the small numbers involved, as publication of this information could inadvertently reveal the identity of the member of staff.

No direct employees or temporary workers employed by the remaining Law Officers' Departments are paid less than the living wage.

A complete record on the pay arrangements for staff employed by companies contracted to provide services to the Law Officers' Departments is not held and could not be provided without incurring a disproportionate cost.