HC Deb 02 February 2000 vol 343 cc608-9W
Mr. Steinberg

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teachers took early retirement in each of the last five years. [108011]

Ms Estelle Morris

Teachers retiring early from the maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special sector in England and Wales under the premature or ill-health retirement arrangements in each of the last five years were as follows:

Financial year Premature 1 Ill-health 2
1994–95 7,660 5,290
1995–96 9,080 5,190
1996–97 10,730 5,400
1997–98 12,600 3,640
1998–993 2,520 2,500
1 Since September 1997 the additional cost of premature retirement has been borne by the employer rather than the Teachers' Pension Scheme.
2 Changes in the statutory regulations governing ill-health retirements came into force in April 1997. To qualify for ill-health retirement benefits since April 1997 a teacher must be regarded as permanently unfit to teach.
3 1998–99 data are provisional.