AQW 38118/11-15

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 03/11/2014
Answered On Date: 28/11/2014
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Finance and Personnel for an update on plans for a Northern Ireland Civil Service wide redundancy package, or voluntary exit scheme, in 2015.

Answer:

The Northern Ireland Executive agreed a draft Budget on 30 October 2014. At this stage, departments are considering the impact that a range of strategic personnel interventions can effect towards a reduction in the NICS paybill.

The Department of Finance and Personnel, in close collaboration with other NI departments has begun the process of establishing the overall size of the pay bill reduction that needs to be delivered by the NICS and how this is to be achieved.

The Northern Ireland Executive asked the Department of Finance and Personnel to bring forward a range of proposals for strategic personnel interventions to effect a paybill reduction including a voluntary exit scheme. It is important to stress that a voluntary exit scheme is only one of a range of measures to be considered.