§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library the information he has received from the NHS pensions agency concerning the retirement of general practitioners, which he referred to during the Second Reading debate of the NHS Reform and Health Care Professions Bill. [17418]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 23 November 2001]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave 1000W my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 29 October 2001, Official Report, column 558W. I am advised that the data excluded those who take their pension before the pension scheme's normal retirement age of 60.
§ Mr. HealdTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what statistics he has collated on the spread of ages at which doctors have retired in(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000 and (e) 2001. [13853]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 12 November 2001]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
Data in the form requested are not readily available. The number of hospital and community doctors, including Principal and Assistant General Medical and Ophthalmic Practitioners, in England and Wales who have received a retirement pension before or after age 60 for each of the financial years 1997 to 2001 is in the table.
Financial year Before age 60 After age 60 Total 1997 503 959 1,462 1998 547 957 1,504 1999 453 866 1,319 2000 403 694 1,097 2001 551 978 1,529