§ Mr. MilburnTo ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 2 May,Official Report, column 132, if he will provide comparable details on civil service early retirement packages on the ground of inefficiency. [29295]
§ Mr. Heseltine[holding answer 19 June 1995]: Inefficiency is a ground for dismissal. An immediate lump sum payment of up to two years' salary may be made where a Department judges payment of compensation to be appropriate. Where compensation is agreed and the person dismissed is over age 55, this may be foregone in favour of immediate payment of the accrued superannuation benefits which would otherwise be preserved for payment at retiring age. There have been six departures from the Department of established staff on inefficiency grounds in the past five financial years. None received an early retirement package, although five officers were awarded immediate compensation, totalling £30,890. There is one award pending. Details are as follows:
Number of cases Total compensation £ 1990–91 1 86 1991–92 1 21,212 1993–94 3 9,592 1994–95 1 1— 1 Pending.