Executive Agencies (Hansard, 23 January 1996)

Mr. John M. Taylor

The chief executives of the following executive agencies will respond direct to the hon. Member—Companies House, the Insolvency Service, the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, the Patent Office and the Radiocommunications Agency.

Letter from P. R. S. Hartnack to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 23 January 1996: I am replying in relation to the Patent Office to your Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade about pre-retirement courses. The Personnel Section of the Patent Office runs such courses for staff who are about to retire and I can confirm that we will continue to provide them for our staff in the future.

Letter from Jim Norton to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 23 January 1996: The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to respond to your Parliamentary Question. I can confirm that the Radiocommunications Agency will continue to provide appropriate training to help those staff that are preparing for retirement.

Letter from Peter Joyce to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 23 January 1996: The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question about the action being taken to safeguard the provision of pre-retirement courses. The Insolvency Service currently uses the courses run by the Department of Trade and Industry's Personnel Training Services Consortium. About a year before expected retirement the individual members of staff are invited to attend a course: The Service pays for the individual and his/her partner to attend. The Service expects to continue the provision of such courses.

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Letter from Seton Bennett to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 23 January 1996: The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory to your question about the provision of pre-retirement courses. There are no changes planned and this Agency will continue to provide pre-retirement courses.

Letter from R. D. Worswick to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 12 January 1996: I have been asked to answer with respect to the Laboratory of the Government Chemist your question to the President of the Board of Trade number 9138 asking what action heads of executive agencies are taking to safeguard the provision of pre-retirement courses in the event of such agencies seeking to make economies. The Laboratory of the Government Chemist continues to operate a policy of offering staff approaching retirement age the opportunity to attend a pre-retirement course.

Letter from David Durham to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 23 January 1996: You have recently tabled a written Parliamentary Question asking what action the Department of Trade aid Industry's Executive Agencies are taking to safeguard the provision of pre-retirement courses. I have been asked to reply as Chief Executive of Companies House Executive Agency. Companies House initiated its own programme of pre-retirement courses in March 1990; prior to this the service was provided by the Department's Training Division. An invitation to attend the training is issued to every member of staff and their partner across all sites twelve months before they reach the age of 60. This invitation is also extended to any member of staff who takes up the option of early retirement. The course is a two day event. It is delivered by local external speakers who tailor their material on the financial, social and personal aspects of retirement to the needs of the course members. So far 92 staff have attended the training. We will continue to provide this service as part of our commitment to the welfare of our staff. This reply also takes account of your amended question.