§ 72. Mr. Jayasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he now has any statement to make on the Government's policy concerning the age of retirement in the Civil Service.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterYes. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has decided to revise Civil Service retirement policy with the object of facilitating and encouraging the continuation in employment of civil servants over 60 years of age. Instructions are about to be issued to Departments to the effect that, while 60 will continue to be the minimum age of retirement, it will not in future be regarded as the normal age of retirement, and that officers between 60 and 65 years of age who wish to stay and for whom there is useful work should be retained so long as they are fit and efficient.
§ 73. Mr. Vaughan-Morganasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury which Government Departments have now responded to the request of the previous Minister of Labour to retain employees after the age of 65 years.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterOn the Government's policy concerning age of retirement in the Civil Service I have nothing to add to my reply to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Battersea, North (Mr. Jay). The policy we are pursuing in the Civil Service is, of course, in accordance with the principles recommended by the Minister of Labour to employers as a whole.