§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 15 January 2001,Official Report, column 48W, on doctors' retirement, how many general practitioners practising in England retired in the last five years for which figures are available before the age of (a) 60, (b) 65, (c) 70 and (d) 75 years. [147771]
§ Mr. DenhamThe figures in the table show the number of doctors working in GP practices who have received a pensions award in each of the years 1994 to 1999 under the age of 60, 65, 70 years and aged 70 and over in England and Wales. However, a number of GPs who 49W retire and claim their pension and gratuity may return to practise in general medical services 28 days later and continue working until they fully retire.
Though there is no fixed retirement age for GPs they are removed from the HA medical list on reaching 70 years of age if providing general medical services as a principal. No GP over the age of 70 received a pension award.
Medical staff in GP practices—numbers receiving a pension award, by age Number receiving a pension award Year Under age 60 Under age 65 Under age 70 70 or over 1995 246 632 730 24 1996 239 559 633 20 1997 229 517 598 13 1998 199 457 518 20 1999 127 284 339 12 Source:
NHS pensions agency