To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people in his Department participated in (a) involuntary and (b) voluntary staff exit schemes in each year since 1997-98; and if he will make a statement. (131437)

The number of employees who have left the Department under exit schemes is shown in the following table:

Figures prior to 1998-99 are not available.

The Department will always try to deal with staff surpluses by means other than redundancy. If redundancies become unavoidable, the Department will endeavour to reduce staff by voluntary rather than involuntary means wherever possible. The Department is currently restructuring and is administering a voluntary exit scheme to deal with emerging surpluses. The full extent of voluntary and involuntary exits is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people in his Department who participated in (a) involuntary and (b) voluntary staff exit schemes in each year since 1997-98 were paid between (i) £0 to £25,000, (ii) £25,001 to £50,000, (iii) £50,001 to £75,000, (iv) £75,001 to £100,000 and (v) over £100,000; and if he will make a statement. (131559)

The numbers of staff who received payments in the requested bands were as follows:

Payments include pension lump sums as well as compensation awards. The information for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

The Department will always try to deal with staff surpluses by means other than redundancy. If redundancies become unavoidable, the Department will endeavour to reduce staff by voluntary rather than involuntary means wherever possible. The Department is currently restructuring and is administering a voluntary exit scheme to deal with emerging surpluses. The full extent of voluntary and involuntary exit costs is not yet available.