Retirement Age

Mr. Hancock
To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the Answer from the Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office to the hon. Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Marsden) of 4 December 2006, Official Report, columns 189-90W, on the retirement age, what the Privy Council’s policy is for the setting of retirement ages for staff below the senior civil service under the Civil Service (Management Functions) Act 1992.

Mr. Straw
The Privy Council Office has a compulsory retirement age of 65 for all grades. Staff have the right to request retention beyond 65, for a maximum of one year at a time. The decision to retain staff beyond 65 is taken on business need.