§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff left the service of his Department and its agencies in the year ended 31 March 2001; how many left before attaining the formal retirement age of 60 years; and in respect of how many his Department and its agencies assumed responsibilities for making payments until retirement age. [37542]
§ Mr. McCartneyA total of 15,804 people left the ex-DSS and ex-ES areas, which now make up the Department of Work and Pensions, during the year ending 31 March 2001.
Of that number 15,287 were under the formal retirement age of 60 years.
Of those leaving under the age of 60 years, 296 were entitled to receive either a severance payment or early retirement benefits from the Department.