§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many employees of the Ministry of Defence have applied for early retirement on medical grounds in each of the last five years; and how many have been(a) granted and (b) refused. [133499]
§ Mr. CaplinThe information requested is shown in the table.
Year Applied for Medical Retirement Approved Refused 1999 613 550 63 2000 584 480 104 2001 629 465 164 2002 468 326 142 20031 383 227 156 1 Up to 20 October Figures for 2003 relate to cases where a decision has been made
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the role is of BMI Ltd in the process of determining applications for medical retirement from the Ministry of Defence; what the average length of time has been for determining these applications; what the rights of appeal are; and if he will make a statement. [133503]
§ Mr. CaplinBMTs role in relation to ill-health retirement is in advising employers about whether or not applicants meet the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme's criteria for access to this benefit, from a medical perspective. The final decision on each ill-health retirement rests with the employer.
Figures for the average length of time it takes to process applications to retire on health grounds are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
An employee who has additional medical evidence to support his or her case may appeal through a three stage process culminating in a Medical Appeal Board. The employee can appeal against:
termination of employment on medical grounds during probation;a decision by the Department to retire them on medical grounds;.a refusal by the Department to retire them on medical grounds.