§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the civil servants in his Department he estimates will retire within the next 12 months.
§ Mr. ShoreThe staff of the Departments of the Environment and Transport are jointly managed, and it is not possible to give separate figures for each Department. Approximately 2.6 per cent. of the staff of the two Departments will have reached the normal retirement age for their grade by 1st April 1978. Some staff in grades with a normal retirement age of 60 have short service and subject to health and efficiency can continue to serve beyond 60; it is not possible to estimate how many will in fact do so. Of the staff reaching normal retirement age, nearly half are industrial employees.