HC Deb 26 June 1995 vol 262 cc528-9W
Mr. Milburn

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 3 May,Official Report, column 226, if he will provide comparable details on civil service early retirement packages on grounds of inefficiency. [29285]

Mr. Jack

[holding answer 19 June 1995]: Inefficiency is a ground for dismissal. An immediate lump sum payment of up to two years' salary can be made in specific cases 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 23 departures on inefficiency grounds in the past five years. Details for the Ministry and its agencies are as follows:

Annual compensation payment to age 60 (rate pa) Superannuation lump sum Lump sum compensation payment £ Compensation in lieu of notice £
1990–91 nil nil 8,708.79 nil
1991–92 nil nil 45,393.76 nil
1992–93 nil nil nil nil
1993–94 nil nil 51,316.94 11,969
1994–95 nil nil 96,677.28 663.6