§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what action heads of her Department's executive agencies are taking to safeguard the provision of pre-retirement courses; and if she will make a statement. [9150]
§ Mr. Robin SquireThe Employment Service offers, on a voluntary basis, pre-retirement courses to people approaching retirement. These courses will continue to be offered in future.
The staff in the Teachers Pensions Agency, being employees of the Department for Education and Employment, are invited to attend a pre-retirement course when approaching retirement. There are no plans to discontinue the practice of providing pre-retirement courses for these staff.
Provision of pre-retirement courses forms part of the recommended standards of principal civil service pension scheme service quality and delivery published by Cabinet Office (Office of Public Service).