§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what guidelines are operated by his Department as regards the use of executive search agencies to fill vacancies within his Department and his Department's executive agencies; and in what circumstances his Department employs executive search agencies instead of relying fully on departmental resources to fill vacant posts.
§ Mr. Dorrell[holding answer 26 January 1995]: The guidelines operated by my Department are those set out in the section of the civil service management code covering recruitment as augmented by the more detailed guidance set out in "Executive Searchlight" produced by the public appointments unit of the Cabinet Office and made widely available within my Department. No additional guidelines are issued. To date no executive search agency has been employed to fill a post within my Department or its two agencies. We rely almost completely on filling vacancies with staff from other Government Departments; linked non-departmental public bodies; and local authorities.