HC Deb 31 July 1998 vol 317 cc838-9W
Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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 60 birthday. [53055]

Mr. Straw

The normal retirement age for staff in the Home Office is 60, with the following exceptionsprison officer grades who were in post prior to 1 September 1987 have a minimum retirement age of 55 and a maximum retirement age of 60. operational service grades, prison auxiliaries and night patrol officers in the Prison Service and industrial grade staff throughout the Home Office have a minimum retirement age of 60 but may remain in employment up to the age of 65 subject to continued fitness and efficiency.

The numbers of industrial grades employed on 24 July 1998 were as follows:

Department Men Women
(1) Home Office (excluding agencies) 39 6
(2) Agencies
(i) Prison service 2,610 230
(ii) UK Passport agency 0 0
(iii) Forensic science service 0 0
(iv) Fire service college 41 0

The numbers of operational service grades, prison auxiliaries and night patrol staff in the Prison Service employed on 30 June 1998 were as follows:

Men Women
(1) Operational service grades 3,247 951
(2) Prison auxiliaries 573 238
(3) Night patrol staff 252 324

Mr. Chope

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [53060]

Mr. Straw

Figures for staff aged over 60 on 1 January in the Home Office and Agencies are set out below:

Number over 60 (male) Number over 60 (female) Total
Home Office excluding Agencies1 34 14 48
Fire Service College1 5 0 5
Forensic Science Service1 2 0 2
United Kingdom Passport Agency1 14 14 28
Her Majesty's Prison Service2 987 60 1,047
Total 2,028 148 1,129
1 The Home Office and Agency figures (excluding the Prison Service) include 11 industrial grade staff. These staff have a minimum retirement age of 60 but may remain in service until 65 subject to continued fitness and efficiency
2 The Prison Service figures include industrial grade staff. These account for approximately a third of the total. Of the remainder, the majority are operational service grades, prison auxiliaries, and night patrol staff. All these staff have a minimum retirement age of 60 but may continue in service up to age 65 subject to continued fitness and efficiency