Remuneration Committee

Introduction

1. On 1 April 2008 the UK Statistics Authority formally assumed its powers under the Statistics and Registration Service Act (2007).The Authority (‘Statistics Board’ in the legislation) was given the high level statutory objective of ‘promoting and safeguarding the production and publication of official statistics that serve the public good’.
2. The Act gave the Authority the power ‘to have such employees as it may appoint’ subject to ‘the approval of the Minister for the Civil Service as to numbers and terms of conditions of employment’. The Act also specified that ‘Service as an employee of the Board is service in the civil service of the State’.
3. At its meeting on 21 February 2008 [Paper SA(08)06] the Authority agreed to constitute a Remuneration Committee.

Role and responsibilities

4. The Committee will have responsibility for agreeing, within parameters set by the Cabinet Office, the pay and performance management framework for members of the Senior Civil Service (SCS) employed by the Authority.
5. More specifically the Remuneration Committee will:
   • agree, within Cabinet Office directions, the strategy and aims of the Authority’s remuneration policy for the SCS employed by the Authority;
   • ensure that the performance management processes for the concluding appraisal year in respect of the SCS employees of the Authority have been conducted appropriately;
   • moderate the performance groups and associated bonus awards for Directors and Deputy Directors;
   • agree the performance markings, any related bonuses and succession planning position on the Cabinet Office grid for Directors General;
   • ensure that the remuneration policy and its implementation are in accordance with the Authority’s responsibilities and policies for equality; and
   • ensure that the award levels are affordable and within the limitations set by the Cabinet Office and the Authority’s budget.

6. The Committee may also review pay policy generally within the pay remit approved by the Minister for the Cabinet Office. More specifically, the Committee may consider the extent to which the existing Cabinet Office framework and guidelines apply to the SCS employees of the Authority.

Membership

7. The Remuneration Committee will be chaired by the Authority Chair.
8. The other members of the Committee will be:
   • the Deputy Chair of the Authority;
   • another Non-Executive member of the Authority Board; and
   • the Authority’s Chief Executive.

Meetings and attendance

9. The Committee shall meet at least twice a year (usually in April and May) to consider the remuneration of the SCS employed by the Authority. The Committee may meet at other times during the year to discuss other pay policy matters. The Authority Chair may convene additional meetings as are deemed necessary.
10. Committee meetings will be considered quorate when three or more members are present including the Authority Chair or the Chair’s delegated nominee. Substitutes will not be permitted to attend Committee meetings unless with express invitation of the Authority Chair.
11. The Committee may ask any other officials to assist with discussions on any particular matter. The Committee may ask any of those present to withdraw to facilitate open and frank discussion on any particular matter.
12. In support of its functions the Committee may engage, at the expense of the Authority, the services of any external remuneration consultant or other professional adviser as it thinks fit, and may invite such persons to attend meetings of the Committee as it considers appropriate
13. The Remuneration Committee will be provided with secretarial functions by the Authority’s Secretariat.

Reporting

14. The Chair of the Committee, or another member of the Committee as deputed by the Chair of the Committee, shall report to the next meeting of the Authority Board. In support of the report to the Authority Board, the Secretary to the Committee will circulate the minutes of meetings of the Committee to all members of the Authority Board.
15. A statement will be made in the Remuneration Report in the Authority’s Annual Report and Accounts about the membership of the Committee and its activities during the year.

Central Policy Secretariat

January 2023

Sir Ian Diamond – National Statistician, Office for National Statistics

Ms Penny Young – Non-Executive Director, Statistics Authority

Sir Robert Chote – Chair, UK Statistics Authority