§ Mr. RowlandsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff in the family health and health authorities(a) took early retirement and (b) were made redundant as a result of the reorganisation of the authorities; and what have been the (i) redundancies costs, (ii) costs of enhanced pensions and (iii) transitional costs of the reorganisation. [17435]
§ Mr. Win GriffithsThe information that is readily available is held in a different form. In 1995–96, District Health Authorities and Family Health Services Authorities made provision of £3.3 million in respect of early retirement and redundancy costs. In 1996–97, the new health Authorities made a further provision of £1.9 million. These will have included (without distinction) costs of early retirements and dismissals on grounds of redundancy or in the interests of the efficiency of the service, but the bulk of these costs can probably be attributed to the reorganisation. Some further transitional costs may be incurred in 1997–98 and 1998–99, as health authorities were given 3 years from 1 April 1996 to reap the full savings. This was to avoid costs that too fast a transition to new staffing levels would have entailed.