§ Mr. Sproatasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases occurred in non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible, over the last 10 years, where compensation has been paid to any person who is a part-time member of the body who ceases to be a member otherwise than on the expiry of a term of office where he considered that there were special circumstances making it right that compensation should be 246W paid; how much money was paid on each occasion; and what were the considerations in each case which caused him to make the decision to pay compensation.
§ Mr. WaddingtonWithin my Department's field of responsibility there have been five such cases in the past six years. It is not the practice to publish detailed information on the circumstances of individual cases but compensation payments have ranged in amount from £520 to £890. Information for preceding years is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
As a general rule, compensation is payable only where a member is asked to leave early and cannot make good the resulting loss of income from alternative employment.