§ Mr. GerrardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps he is taking in the current review of pay and grading in the Planning Inspectorate executive agency to ensure that he meets the requirement set out in the first report to him of the advisory panel on standards for the Planning Inspectorate executive agency in respect of the need for planning inspectors to be of the highest quality and drawn from a variety of appropriate professional backgrounds; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how many person-days of work were, or are planned to be carried out by (a) contract inspectors and (b) all consultant inspectors in the Planning Inspectorate executive agency in each year from 1993 to 1996; and if he will make a statement;
(3) how many staff in the Planning Inspectorate executive agency he expects will be given early retirement (a) in 1995 and (b) in 1996; from what professional planning inspector or other grades they will be drawn; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Paul BeresfordI have delegated responsibility for all these matters to the Planning Inspectorate executive agency. I have therefore asked Mr. Chris Shepley, the agency's chief executive, to reply.
Letter from C. J. Shepley to Mr. Neil Gerrard, dated 26 January 1995:
The Secretary of State has asked me to provide the replies to your Parliamentary Questions about:the Planning Inspectorate's pay and grading review (PQ/903/94/95);work carried out by the Inspectorate's contract and consultant Inspectors (PQ/904/94/95);the number of staff expected to take early retirement in 1995 and 1996 (PQ/907/94/95); as these are all matters which have been delegated to the Executive Agency.(903)The purpose of our pay and grading review is to ensure that all staff are properly rewarded for their skills and their contributions to the work of the Agency. It is my intention to ensure the Agency 569W will continue to employ Planning Inspectors of the highest quality and of appropriate backgrounds to meet its needs.(904)On the question of work carried out by contract and consultant Inspectors, records are not kept in a form that allows us to find the information in the precise form you request. The figures given below are estimates based on our financial records and include not only days employed on casework but also attendance at the office for training, etc.
Contract Inspector days Consultant Inspector days 1993–94 12,800 11,200 1994–95 (forecast) 11,100 8,750
The use we make of these resources in 1995–96 will depend on the financial allocation we receive and the targets we are set for the coming year.(907)We expect two Inspectors to leave the Agency in 1995 following approval of their applications under our 1994 Voluntary Early Retirement scheme. There may also be departures following applications for early retirement on medical grounds. Currently we have no plans to run any further early retirement schemes. No staff have been asked to leave the Agency.