§ LORD ERROLL OF HALEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how many temporary civil servants, since the present Government took office, have been recruited directly from positions in trade, commerce and industry for new posts of administrative or equivalent specialist status; and how many from positions in universities and other academic institutions.]
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, from trade, commerce and industry 12, from universities and other academic institutions, 25. Perhaps it would help the noble Lord if I told him that there are a further 11 from areas which are not strictly in either of those two categories.
§ LORD ERROLL OF HALEMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord for his reply. Although the numbers at first sight may seem relatively small in terms of Government employment, the fact remains that these are notable additions to the top flights of Government service and therefore represent a considerable accretion to those ranks. I should be grateful if the noble Lord would explain to me why so many additional individuals are required and, secondly, why there has been such a pronounced bias in favour of drawing individuals from universities rather than from industry and commerce.
§ LORD SHEPHERDMy Lords, I am glad the noble Lord referred to them as a notable and a considerable accretion to the Government service, because that is the reason why the Government have sought their service, help and advice in 172 the difficult times which now face this country. The real reason, I suppose, why we have had to bring these people in, other than for the service that they can give, is the fact that we have three new Departments, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Overseas Development, and the new Ministry of Technology. We felt that it was right to start with those individuals from all sides of industry and universities who can help us in our task.