HC Deb 19 June 1995 vol 262 c121W
Mr. Milburn

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 9 May,Official Report, column 396, if he will provide comparable details on civil service early retirement packages on grounds of inefficiency. [29282]

Mr. Lang

Inefficiency is a ground for dismissal. An immediate lump sum payment of up to two years' salary may be made where a Department judges payment of compensation to be appropriate. Where compensation is agreed and the person dismissed is over age 55, this may be forgone in favour of immediate payment of the accrued superannuation benefits which would otherwise be preserved for payment at retiring age. There have been seven departures from the Scottish Office on inefficiency grounds in the past five financial years. Details are as follows:

  • 1 in 1990–91
  • 2 in 1991–92
  • 2 in 1992–93
  • 2 in 1993–94
  • 0 in 1994–95

Of the seven, compensation was agreed for only one officer and paid as a lump sum compensation payment approximately equivalent to two years' salary.