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Redundancy

Volume 486: debated on Thursday 15 January 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many staff in his Department left under (a) involuntary and (b) voluntary staff exit schemes in each year since 2005-06; how many of them in each case were paid (i) up 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 in the year before they left; and how much (A) was spent in each of those years and (B) is planned to be spent on such schemes in (1) 2008-09 and (2) 2009-10 by (y) his Department and its predecessor and (z) each of his Department's agencies. (242252)

The Department was created in 28 June 2007. Since its inception, there were seven early releases in 2007-08, at a total cost of £512,000 and two in 2008-09 at a total cost of £90,000. There are currently no early releases planned for 2009-10. Information related to costs is not available in the form requested and could be obtain only at disproportionate cost.

The Department has two agencies. The National Weights and Measures Laboratory has not had any early releases during the period requested and none are planned during 2009-10. However, UK-IPO has had early releases. Since 2005-06, 58 people have left under voluntary exit schemes, including four to 31 October 2008 in 2008-09. The breakdown of the value of payments was (i) 24, (ii) 17, (iii) 6, (iv) 2 (v) 9.

On an accruals basis there were 53 departures for 2005-06 costing £2,571,000, none in 2006-07 and one in 2007-08 at £55,000. Approximately 89 are expected in 2008-09 at an estimated cost of £6,865,000. There are currently no early releases planned for 2009-10. Information related to costs is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.