Written question asked by Christopher Chope (Conservative) on Thursday, 23 July 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 30 July 1998. It was answered by Lord Spellar (Labour) on Thursday, 30 July 1998 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Ministry of Defence

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) men and (b) women employed by (1) his Department and (2) his Department's agencies have contracts of employment which permit them to retire after their 60th birthday. - Inc figs. (Further information at 317 c892W, 19 October 1998).

Answer: Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) men and (b) women employed by (1) his Department and (2) his Department's agencies have contracts of employment which permit them to retire after their 60th birthday. [53058] Mr. Spellar: Civil servants have no formal contract of employment. However, under the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme civil servants have an entitlement to retire at age 60, which is the earliest age at which they may receive their full accrued pension benefits. Notwithstanding the entitlement to retire at 60, MOD policy prescribes normal retirement ages for each grade, based on the employment needs of the Department. This gives staff in particular grades an expectation to retire at an age beyond their 60th birthday, if they choose to do so. The numbers of staff employed by the MOD who have an expectation to retire after their 60th birthday, excluding those employed by MOD agencies, on 1 January 1998 was 17,592 men and 12,937 women. The numbers of staff employed by the MOD agencies on 1 January 1998 who have an expectation to retire after their 60th birthday, was 21,480 men and 11,320 women.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 53058; 317 c451-2W;317 c452W
Session: 1997-98
Subjects: Age Executive agencies Civil service Government departments Ministry of Defence Retirement
Contains statistics: Yes