§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each year since 1990 the expenditure on gross redundancy payments for(a) regions, (b) districts and (c) trusts.
§ Dr. Mawhinney[holding answer 14 December 1993]: The information is shown in the table.
Revenue expenditure on gross redundancy payments in England 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 £ £ £ Regional Health Authorities 948,202 2,720,438 3,236,599 District Health Authorities 10,789,525 25,875,532 34,805,785 NHS Trusts Not applicable 3,674,860 14,467,515 Totals 11,737,727 32,270,650 52,509,899 Notes:
Number of trusts as at: 1 April 1991—57
Number of trusts as at: 1 April 1992—156
Number of trusts as at: 1 April 1993—292
The closure of psychiatric hospitals in connection with "Care in the Community" and management restructuring throughout the national health service are the main reasons for the increase in redundancy compensation payments. Section 45 of the General Whitley Council handbook establishes the redundancy compensation arrangements for NHS staff. Redundancy compensation takes the form of a lump sum dependent on the age and reckonable service of the employee at the date he or she ceases to be employed.