§ Mr. MaplesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total cost of the compensation for loss of pension rights which his Department has agreed to pay to the 14 former employees of GCHQ. [66489]
§ Mr. Robin Cook[holding answer 19 January 1999]: The additional pension benefits will be provided through a special scheme under the Superannuation Act 1972. That scheme will be limited to the fourteen who were dismissed. The level of compensation will reflect two factors; the impact on pensionable pay on retirement of the decisions about pay taken by GCHQ in the light of the refusal of the fourteen to resign from their trade union; and the loss of pensionable service. The cost will be met from within existing resources.