§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he will put in place to compensate staff who suffer a reduction in salary as a result of local government reorganisation. [36402]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordWe are today launching a consultation on draft regulations which will give effect to the scheme for detriment compensation which my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 30 March,Official Report, column 733. The scheme provides for compensation of staff who suffer a drop in salary as a result of local government reorganisation. Such staff will, in effect, have their salary maintained for a transitional three-year period if they work in a reorganised authority and are appointed to a job at a lower salary with a relevant authority during the prescribed period. By avoiding the need for redundancy payments and encouraging councils to retrain existing employees in new jobs, the scheme should benefit staff, employers, and the taxpayer. There will be a period of eight weeks in which local authorities, local authority associations and other interested parties will be able to make comments on these draft regulations.