Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average hourly pay is of employees at each grade within his Department identified as (a) White or White British and (b) from a Black, Asian or other minority ethnic group.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has separate pay scales for each grade. These consist of a minimum and maximum in between which are various spine points. An individual's position within each scale is dependent on an individual's career history. The treatment and calculation of pay is applied consistently for all members of staff. In addition to base salary, individuals can receive pay related allowances based upon the requirement of the post they are filling. The hourly rate is based upon the total remuneration package that individuals receive. Information on the average hourly pay of MOD civilian employees at each grade within his Department identified as White or White British and from a Black, Asian or other minority ethnic group is set out in the table below:

Notes:

1 Black, Asian, Minority, Ethnic.

2 Ethnicity is a self declared characteristic on the civilian Human Resources Management System. As such, those personnel who have not declared at all and/or have chosen "not to declare" are reflected under the heading "Choose Not to Declare".

3 The figures for grades Senior Civil Service (SCS) and B1 have been grouped because of the low numbers involved.

4 The MOD employs a number of teachers in military schools and medical staff in MOD hospitals. Their grades and pay rates reflect the equivalents to their counterparts outside of the MOD.

5 Retained grades are those who do not fit into broader banded categories (e.g. Flight Simulator Instructors, Salvage/Mooring Officers and Retired Officer grades).