Dear Alex

I refer to your email of 23 August 2024 and, on behalf of the University, I acknowledge receipt and confirm that your request is being dealt with in terms of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

In terms of the Act, a reply will be sent to you within 20 working days.

Yours sincerely,

Jody McKenzie
Information Governance Officer
Information Governance Team
University of Aberdeen

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Dear Alex

I refer to your Freedom of Information request about supplemental payments within IT. The response is below.

1. Breakdown of Supplemental Payments: Please provide a breakdown of the types of supplemental payments made above the standard pay scales and grading within the IT department. Categories of interest include, but are not limited to, "market supplement", "responsibility allowances", "retention payments", and any other similar types of payments.

Additional payments made include:

Additional Responsibilities Payment
Retention Payment
Market Supplement

2. Roles Receiving Supplemental Payments: For each category of supplemental payment, please list the roles within the IT department that have received these payments in the last three years. If possible, include the number of individuals in each role receiving these payments.

There are less than 5 people receiving these payments. Providing the job titles will make these individuals identifiable but I can say that they do cover positions which are highly skilled and historically difficult to recruit. The precise job roles that have received the additional payment is information that is held in terms of section 16 of the Act, but it considered to be exempt in terms of section 38 (1)(b) of the Act - personal information. The exact salaries that individuals receive is private to them and generally speaking information disclosed on such topics are normally restricted to a salary band and providing the exact additional payment received, may allow for an estimate of their exact salary to be ascertained. This type of precise information is normally only disclosed in regard to the most senior staff in the organisation and it does not feel fair or proportionate to disclose in this instance and would be a breach of the first principle of the UK GDPR to do so. As such the information is considered to be exempt in terms of section 38 (1)(b) of the Act.

3. Justification for Payments: Please provide any available documentation and policies that outline the justification or criteria for awarding these supplemental payments within the IT department.

This information is available on our website: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/staffnet/document... As such it is exempt from disclosure in terms of section 25 (1) of the Act - information otherwise accessible.

4. Total Amounts Paid: Please provide the total amounts paid for each type of supplemental payment within the IT department in the last three years.

Total amounts per annum for 2023 and 2024 range from £1,500 to £10,000. No additional payments were made in 2022. As per response to Q2, proving more specific information here could allow for the recipients to be disclosed and as a result, the information is withheld in terms of section 38 (1)(b) of the Act.

Should you be dissatisfied with this response, you have the right under the Act to request a review. A request for review must be made within 40 working days of the date of this reply. It must include your name and address for correspondence and specify the request for information and the grounds for dissatisfaction with the decision. Please send your request for review to our mailbox, [University of Aberdeen request email]. The University will respond to your request for a review within 20 working days of receipt of your request.

If you are unhappy with the outcome of the University's internal review, you have the right to appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within six months of the date of receipt of the University's review notice. Details on how to make an appeal to the Commissioner are available at Appeal to the Commissioner | Scottish Information Commissioner (foi.scot) Should you remain dissatisfied with the Commissioner's decision, you have a right of appeal to the Court of Session on a point of law.

Yours sincerely,

Jody McKenzie
Information Governance Officer
Information Governance Team
University of Aberdeen

The University of Aberdeen is a charity registered in Scotland, No SC013683.
Tha Oilthigh Obar Dheathain na charthannas clàraichte ann an Alba, Àir. SC013683.