HC Deb 17 February 1998 vol 306 cc620-1W
Mr. Forth

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many civil servants in her Department at each grade for grade 3 or above have(a) resigned, (b) retired before pensionable age and (c) moved to different responsibilities within the department since 1 May 1997; if she will indicate the Minister to whom each was responsible; and if she will make a statement. [26927]

Mr. Field

From 1 April 1996, the Department moved away from grades for staff previously at grade 5 and above, to a system based on nine overlapping pay bands. Posts were scored in a range of 7 to 22, using Job Evaluation of Senior posts (JESP) methodology. Posts with a JESP score of 13 or above are considered to be equivalent to grade 3 or above.

Since 1 May 1997, no civil servants have resigned; no civil servants have retired before pensionable age and one civil servant in a post with a JESP score of 16 has moved to different responsibilities within the Department. The officer was responsible to the Secretary of State.

In addition three such civil servants have transferred to other Government Departments on either a temporary or permanent basis.