§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to raise the Civil Service normal retirement age to 65; and if he will make a statement. [156577]
§ Mr. AlexanderIn line with all employers in the public and private sector, the Government believe that the Civil Service should be allowed to determine retirement age policy with regard to its business needs while giving staff as much choice as possible about when they retire. Departments and agencies are free to set the normal retirement age for their own staff subject only to the requirement that the minimum age at which civil servants can retire with full superannuation benefits is 60.
The normal retirement age for the Senior Civil Service is 60. However, Heads of Departments and Agency Chief Executives have the flexibility to retain members of the Senior Civil Service beyond 60 if they judge it to be in the public interest and are satisfied about the fitness and efficiency of the individual to carry out his or her duties.
584WAgainst this background, 80 per cent. of the Civil Service now has the option to remain in work until 65, and a further 11 per cent. has the option to remain in work on short service concessions. Those Departments and agencies which have decided that there is a strong case for retaining a retirement age of 60 in the current circumstances, will be expected to continue to re-examine the issue and look positively at offering more flexibilities to older staff.