Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“At a time of austerity when people are seeing frontline services cut in health and other areas it will doubtless come as a surprise to many that there is little sign of this in OFMdFM.
“Far from falling the total wage bill has risen by over half a million pounds since I lasted asked about the issue.
“When I last asked Peter Robinson and McGuinness to detail the total paid in salary costs by the department to staff back in 2011 I discovered that it was £16,089,519.
“For the year ending 30th September 2014 the total was £16,656,826 – a rise of £567,307 and more than two thirds of the cost of staff at the White House.
“With many public and private sector workers facing a pay freeze while others have lost their jobs due to the economic downturn and government austerity the bloated Office of First and deputy First Minister has seen staff costs increase by more than half a million.
“Given the dysfunctional nature of the office it is outrageous that Robinson and McGuinness could think that such largess could be justified. Journalists are only too well aware that press inquiries to OFMdFM and FOI requests regularly go unanswered while MLAs regularly hear complaints of reports and other documentation going to OFMdFM and seemingly disappearing.”
Note to editors
Mr Allister’s questions detailing costs for this year and 2011 are below
Tabled Date: 24/10/2014
Answered On Date: 07/11/2014
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the total paid in salary costs to departmental staff in the last 12 months.
Answer:
The Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister incurred a cost of £16,656,826 for the year ended 30 September 2014 in respect of salaries.
Tabled Date: 28/10/2011
Answered On Date: 20/12/2011
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the total amount of the salaries paid to departmental staff in OFMDFM in the last 12 months.
Answer:
The Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister incurred a cost of £16,089,519 for the year ended 30 September 2011 in respect of salaries and related salary costs. Related salary costs include employer’s National Insurance contributions and employer’s pension contributions.
You can read a report on the cost of White House staff here http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/211045-white-house-staff-salaries-total-38m