§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average retirement age of national health service employees, per professional group, in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [40437]
§ Mr. SackvilleResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the NHS Pensions Agency under its chief executive, Mr. A. F. Cowan. I have asked him to reply to the hon. and learned Member.
Letter from A. F. Cowan to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 3 November 1995:
The Secretary of State for Health has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question as it falls within my area of responsibility.
482W
1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 Region Number of GP fundholders Net cumulative savings available for spending (£ million) Number of GP fundholders Net cumulative savings available for spending (£ million) Number of GP fundholders Net cumulative savings available for spending (£ million) Northern and Yorkshire 596 1.9 1,023 7.2 1,236 16.9 Trent 312 1.5 740 3.0 1,045 7.2 Anglia and Oxford 363 1.8 722 5.0 1,067 10.4 North Thames 349 1.7 705 3.6 894 7.2 Data is held centrally on the average age at retirement for the members of the NHS Pension Scheme in England and Wales over the period 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1994, split by broad professional groups. A more detailed breakdown by year of retirement is only available at disproportionate cost. The first table shows the average age at retirement in normal health excluding redundancies; the second table shows the average age on retirement in ill-health only.
Average age on normal retirement 1989–1994, excluding redundancies Professional group Male Female Administrative staff and hospital medical staff (excluding female nurses) 64 62 Mental health officer (non manual) 60 60 Manual workers (excluding MHO's) 64 61 Mental health officer (manual) 56 60 Medical Practitioner 63 63 Dental Practitioner 63 63 Female nurse, physiotherapist, midwife or health visitor — 60
Average age on ill-health retirement only Professional Group Male Female Administrative staff and hospital medical staff (excluding female nurses) 51 51 Mental health officer (non manual) 49 49 Manual workers (excluding MHO's) 53 52 Mental health officer (manual) 50 50 Medical Practitioner 54 52 Dental Practitioner 51 49 Female Nurse, Physiotherapist, midwife, health visitor — 50