HC Deb 02 June 1992 vol 208 cc440-1W
Mr. Trimble

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what criteria are used in determining whether teachers in the controlled sector taking early retirement can receive added years or other enhancement of pension;

(2) what criteria are used in determining whether teachers in the maintained sector taking early retirement can receive added years or other enhancement of pension; by whom the decision is taken; and what report of such decisions is made to the Department of Education for Northern Ireland.

Mr. Hanley

In the case of controlled and maintained schools with fully delegated budgets, decisions on pension enhancement are taken by boards of governors; in the case of special schools and schools with partially delegated budgets, decisions are taken by the education and library boards in respect of the controlled sector, by the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools—CCMS—in respect of Catholic maintained schools and by the boards of governors of non-Catholic maintained schools.

In taking these decisions, boards of governors, education and library boards and the CCMS take account of guidance issued by the Department of Education for Northern Ireland, which recommends maximum levels of compensation related to years of service and which contains points to be considered when awarding pensions and lump sum enhancements. These include: whether enhancement is necessary to achieve the premature retirement; whether the full level of enhancement provided for is justified; the circumstances leading to the teacher becoming a candidate for premature retirement; the teacher's effectiveness; factors relating to the school's organisation and management.

Enhancement decisions also take account of guidance issued by the relevant education and library board and the CCMS and of the total cash made available by my Department to the board for the premature retirement compensation scheme.

The various deciding authorities notify the Department of Education of the name of the teacher, the date on which premature retirement is to take effect, and the level of enhancement.