§ Mr. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many officials have applied for voluntary early retirement in(a) the Department of Employment and (b) the Health and Safety Executive in 1993–94; and what is the quota who will be granted early retirement in 1993–94;
(2) what effect the number of officials taking early retirement will have on the number of officials newly recruited to (a) the Department of Employment and (b) the Health and Safety Executive.
§ Miss WiddecombeA total of 250 members of staff in the Employment Department group have so far applied for voluntary early retirement in 1993–94. A further 1,465 staff have expressed an interest and others are expected to apply.
Separate figures are not currently available for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The quota for voluntary early retirement releases in 1993–94 is 1,174.
The number of officials taking early retirement relates to the number of surplus staff in the Department. There is no direct effect on the number of officials newly recruited to the Department or to the HSE. But in general there is no significant recruitment taking place at grades or in parts of the country where there are significant surpluses.