There are more than 900 central government staff earning above £50,000.

And the number of those earning between £100,000 and £125,000 has increased by more than one sixth in just a year - jumping from 44 to 52.

In 2015/16, the number of government employees earning more than £50,000 was 885. Now it is 919.

The number of those in the £50,000 to £74,999 pay bracket has increased from 633 in 2015/16 to 671 in 2016/17.

Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas revealed the figures in response to a series of House of Keys questions tabled by Rob Callister (Onchan), who wanted to know why there had been increases in certain pay brackets

Mr Thomas said: ’The increase of 34 in the number of people earning greater than £50,000 is generally attributable to the combined effect of public service pay awards and incremental progression.

’For example, the average pay award across the public service, which was paid in 2016/17, was 1.7%, and the effect of that on staff earning just below £50,000 was to lift 25 staff into the bracket above.’

Mr Thomas said there were ’numerous pay scales’ which straddled the £50,000 threshold, including speciality doctors and certain senior civil service positions.

’It is expected that the remaining numbers of staff were lifted into the higher bracket as a result of incremental progression.’

The pay band for a social work team leader ranges from £45,584 to £54,570, while the senior executive officer pay scale is £45,584 to £57,570.

Pay groups that ’straddle’ the £100,000 threshold, Mr Thomas said, included staff in the corporate leadership group and consultant medical staff.

The minister added: ’It is important however, to consider the full data published in the government accounts, which show that as well as numbers increasing in some pay brackets, numbers decreased in others.’

There was a drop of 16 in the number of those earning £75,000-£99,999, Mr Thomas revealed. All other pay bands saw moves up or down by fewer than five.

The number of those earning £225,000-£249,999 went up by four.

In July, civil servants and government manual workers were awarded a 2.3% pay rise, following arbitration.

The award, which came after no agreement could be reached between the government and unions, was set to cost government an extra £2.7m.

That pay rise will also apply to Tynwald members.