To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what estimate he has made of the number of Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) staff who will (a) take voluntary redundancy and (b) move to the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator when the QCA is disbanded; (216070)

The Government plan to legislate in the 2008-09 session to establish the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual), which will be based in Coventry. Ofqual will have about 125 staff, many of whom will transfer from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The QCA will not be disbanded but will evolve into a Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency, which will also be based in Coventry.

As a result of the relocation, rather than the creation of Ofqual, QCA currently expects about 300 QCA and Ofqual staff to take voluntary redundancy. Staff will confirm their preferences for relocation, redeployment or redundancy in the autumn.

QCA estimates that £15.5 million will be paid to QCA staff who take voluntary redundancy as a result of its relocation to Coventry. No compensation will be paid to QCA staff who transfer to the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many Qualifications and Curriculum Authority staff have (a) been made voluntarily redundant, (b) taken early retirement and (c) resigned in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. (216072)

The following numbers of QCA staff have (a) been made voluntarily redundant, (b) taken retirement and (c) resigned in each year since 2001:

QCA does not distinguish between early retirement and other retirement.