§ Mr. DawsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in what circumstances ex-Astra staff are eligible to apply for Civil Service vacancies. [64697]
§ Mr. MudieThose ex-Astra employees who were former civil servants can, like any other former civil servants, apply for reappointment into the Civil Service. Reappointment is not automatic and depends on there being suitable vacancies. Applicants must also meet the current competencies required for the job in question. Those ex-Astra staff who were not former civil servants can, like anyone else, apply for any advertised vacancies, subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Order in Council 1995.
§ Mr. DawsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on outstanding issues concerning ex-Astra employees. [64696]
§ Mr. MudieThere are no outstanding issues but I am currently considering representations made on behalf of employees of the former Astra Training Services Ltd.
This Government introduced a package of special measure, both financial and non-financial, that helped those who were potentially worse affected by this failed privatisation. The administrators of the Astra Pension Scheme, Fountain Trustee Ltd., have confirmed that all ex-Astra staff are getting their full accrued pensions as they reach the retirement age of 60.