§ Mr. Tilleyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment why staff of the Centre for Environmental Studies have been offered redundancy terms less favourable than those offered to staff of other non-departmental public bodies; and if he will make a statement on the Department's current policy towards the centre.
§ Mr. FoxStaff of the Centre for Environmental Studies are members of the local government superannuation scheme and the redundancy terms offered are those which have been offered to local government. My right hon. Friend's policy is to disengage, by means of a phased withdrawal, from the Department's current involvement in the affairs of the centre as quickly as practicable. The centre would still be eligible for contracts for specific research required by the Department for which it would be the appropriate contractor.