§ Mr. Stokesasked the Minister for the Civil Service what steps he is taking to deal with the forthcoming reduction in Civil Service manpower, due to public expenditure cuts, by way of reducing recruitment, early retirement and the like.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisRecruitment both by Departments and by the Civil Service Commission is being adjusted as necessary to take account of the manpower economies. Departments and the Civil Service Department are also co-operating to ensure that staff who might otherwise become redundant are considered for vacancies before any necessary recruitment takes place.
Existing age retirement policy in the Civil Service already provides for a minimum retirement age of 60, with departmental discretion to retain individual
Department Location Number of posts Property Services Agency … … … Teesside … … 3,000 Department of Health and Social Security … … … Newcastle … … 500* Laboratory of the Government Chemist … … … West Cumbria … … 360 Total … … 3,860 * Including 19 posts already transferred. There are at present no other plans to disperse Government work from London to the Northern Region.