§ Ms HodgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the annual cost of his Department of staff leaving under redundancy/early retirement schemes to incorporate (i) added years lump sum payments, (ii) redundancy payments, (iii) pension payments, including enhancements and (iv) any other special arrangements for(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95, (c) projected for 1995–96 and (d) projected for 1996–97. [25469]
§ Sir John WheelerFor staff leaving the Northern Ireland Office and other Northern Ireland Departments these costs are accounted for as non-departmental running costs, exempt, until 31 March 1994. From 1 April 1994, these costs are accounted for as departmental running costs as in the home civil service.
A detailed breakdown of the various costs could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The total costs in respect of officers leaving the Northern Ireland Office and the other Northern Ireland Departments in 1993–94 and 1994–95 were £10,900,000 and £7,082,000 respectively.
The planning of early retirements which will take place in 1995–96 are still at an early stage, and for this reason it is not possible to provide projected costs although there 754W is estimates provision for £3,000,000 expenditure at this time. Projections for 1996–97 will be determined during the coming public expenditure survey.
§ Ms HodgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff of(a) the Northern Ireland Office and (b) agencies for which the Northern Ireland Office is responsible (i) took early retirement, (ii) took voluntary redundancy (iii) took compulsory redundancy and (iv) were retired on medical grounds in (1) 1993–94 and (2) 1994–95; and what are the projected figures for 1995–96. [25501]
§ Sir John WheelerThe information is as follows:
1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 (i) Took early retirement NIO (excluding agencies) 2 1 0 Agencies 1 0 0 (ii) Took voluntary redundancy NIO (excluding agencies) 13 12 0 Agencies 0 0 15 (iii) Took compulsory redundancy NIO (excluding agencies) 0 0 0 Agencies 0 0 0 (iv) Were retired on medical grounds NIO (excluding agencies) 11 15 n/a Agencies 1 2 n/a It is not possible to forecast the number of retirements on medical grounds.