§ Mr. Needhamasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many people aged over 63 years are employed by his Department; and if he will ensure that greater use is made of the job release scheme to improve opportunities for young people.
§ Mr. PattieSome 6,300 industrial and non-industrial civilian staff aged 63 and over are employed by the Ministry of Defence. Of these, 5,070 are men, to whom the recently announced extension of the job release scheme will apply.
The Ministry of Defence already makes full and proper use of the job release scheme. Apart from a short period in 1979 when, because of a general ban on recruitment, all Government Departments were unable to make use of the scheme, we have been active participants. Its conditions and financial benefits are regularly and widely publicised throughout the Department and it will continue to be our policy to facilitate, wherever possible, the release of eligible staff who wish to take advantage of the scheme.