§ Mr. MaplesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 8 June 1999,Official Report, columns 307-08, if he is now able to estimate the cost of compensation for loss of pension rights which have been incurred in respect of the 14 former employees of GCHQ. [92459]
§ Mr. Robin Cook[holding answer 22 July 1999]: GCHQ officials are close to reaching agreement with the CCSU on the basis for calculating the amount of compensation in each of the 14 individual cases; there remain issues relating to tax and to the precise method of payment which may have implementations for the overall cost. It is expected these will all be resolved soon. The Government Actuaries department will then be asked to calculate the precise cost of the scheme.