HC Deb 09 June 1992 vol 209 cc83-4W
Mr. Burns

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the terms on which civil servants are moved in the public interest.

Mr. Dorrell

At present civil servants moving home in the public interest are entitled to a wide range of financial assistance. This package will be improved for those small number of staff who find, as a result of their move, that the proceeds of the sale of their old property are not sufficient to repay their mortgage. Departments and agencies will have the freedom to offer such staff loans, at commercial rates of interest, repayable on the same terms as the existing scheme for making advances of salary for house purchases. Departments and agencies will also, in particularly difficult cases, be free to offer advances of salary to meet mortgage shortfalls, on the same terms as the advances of salary offered to meet bridging loan shortfalls.