HC Deb 30 July 1998 vol 317 c452W
Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) men and (b) women aged over 60 years were employed by (i) his Department and (ii) his Department's agencies on 1 January. [53064]

Mr. Spellar

The numbers of staff aged over 60 years employed by the Ministry of Defence at 1 January 1998, excluding those employed by MOD agencies, were 2,212 men and 617 women. The numbers aged over 60 employed by MOD agencies at 1 January 1998 were 2,442 men and 467 women.

Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) men and (b) women employed by (1) his Department and (2) his Department's agencies have contracts of employment which permit them to retire after their 60th birthday. [53058]

Mr. Spellar

Civil servants have no formal contract of employment. However, under the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme civil servants have an entitlement to retire at age 60, which is the earliest age at which they may receive their full accrued pension benefits. Notwithstanding the entitlement to retire at 60, MOD policy prescribes normal retirement ages for each grade, based on the employment needs of the Department. This gives staff in particular grades an expectation to retire at an age beyond their 60th birthday, if they choose to do so.

The numbers of staff employed by the MOD who have an expectation to retire after their 60th birthday, excluding those employed by MOD agencies, on 1 January 1998 were 17,592 men and 12,937 women. The numbers of staff employed by the MOD agencies on 1 January 1998 who have an expectation to retire after their 60th birthday, were 21,480 men and 11,320 women.