7 Employee costs and numbers
a Staff costs
The average number of persons employed during the year was as follows:
| Group | Company | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 2008 | 2007 | 2008 | 2007 |
| United Kingdom | 39,193 | 41,409 | 36,962 | 37,718 |
| Overseas | 5,947 | 6,661 | 5,159 | 5,721 |
| 45,140 | 48,070 | 42,121 | 43,439 | |
Group |
Company |
|||
| £ million | 2008 | 2007 | 2008 | 2007 |
| Wages and salaries | 1,433 | 1,522 | 1,362 | 1,400 |
| Social security costs | 150 | 158 | 142 | 145 |
| Costs related to pension scheme benefits | 216 | 308 | 211 | 296 |
| Other post-retirement benefit costs | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Other employee costs | 363 | 364 | 352 | 346 |
| Total employee costs | 2,166 | 2,355 | 2,070 | 2,190 |
| Employee costs relating to continuing operations | 2,166 | 2,277 | 2,072 | 2,180 |
| Employee costs/(income) relating to discontinued operations | 78 | (2) | 10 | |
In addition, included in ‘Wages and salaries’ is a total expense of share-based payments of £3 million (2006/07: £10 million) that arises from transactions accounted for as equity-settled share-based payment transactions.
Other employee costs include allowances, severance and accommodation for crew.
Employee costs for 2006/07 exclude the £396 million credit arising on changes to NAPS which is disclosed separately on the face of the income statement.
b Directors’ emoluments
| Group | ||
|---|---|---|
| £’000 | 2008 | 2007 |
| Fees | 734 | 648 |
| Salary and benefits | 1,123 | 1,484 |
| Aggregate gains made by directors on the exercise of options | 555 | |
| 1,857 | 2,687 | |
During the year, one director accrued benefits under defined benefit pension schemes and one director accrued benefits under a defined contribution pension scheme.
The Directors’ Remuneration report discloses full details of directors’ emoluments.