Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he will take to ensure that pay rises are distributed equitably among all pay bands at Highways England.

I would like to reassure you that the Secretary of State is placing significant focus on pay in the Department’s arm’s length bodies including Highways England (HE). Responsibility for setting pay levels within HE sits with the company, overseen by its Remuneration Committee. HE manages pay in accordance with public sector pay guidance from Cabinet Office, and a framework set by the Department for Transport, which places controls on the numbers and pay of the highest paid staff.

The 2019 pay awards for all HE employees, including those in the senior cadre, were based on 1%; however, following recently completed negotiations, an additional, backdated award is being made which will mean that employees below senior level will receive awards for 2019 based on a total of 2%. This will mean that using HE’s approach to pay review individuals will receive awards in the range 1.5% to 4% for 2019/20.

Performance Related Pay (PRP), in relation to 2018-19 performance for the grades below the senior group resulted in 4,106 staff receiving a payment, with an average value of £1,392.