§ Mr. SarwarTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff at the Contributions Agency aged 60 years or over have been required to retire since April. [92200]
§ Dawn PrimaroloBetween 1 April and 31 July 1999, 126 former Contributions Agency staff are due to retire, 18 at 60 and 108 after service beyond 60.
§ Mr. SarwarTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes have been made to the terms and conditions affecting Contributions Agency staff aged 60 years or over since April. [92201]
§ Dawn PrimaroloThe normal retirement age for Contributions Agency (CA) staff was 60, and staff of the Inland Revenue also have a normal retirement age of 60. During negotiations on the terms and conditions of service on which agency staff would join the Revenue, the Revenue promised to honour the transitional arrangements the CA had agreed when it changed its retirement policy. Accordingly, the Revenue agreed to honour all extensions of service to 31 July 1999. This was part of the whole terms and conditions package published to CA staff in February 1999 and accepted by a majority vote in the subsequent ballot.