§ Mr. Rhodri MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of Civil Service staff of grade 5 and above within his Department(a) have spent their entire civil service career within his Department, (b) have had secondments to (i) the private sector and (ii) other departments and (c) have come from other departments. [26031]
§ Mr. Tony Lloyd[holding answer 28 January 1998]: About 10 per cent. of staff equivalent to Grade 5 and above, joined the FCO from other Government departments and at least a third have had (or are on) secondments, loans or attachments outside the FCO. In the past, about three quarters of these have been to other Government departments or Governments overseas, but we have been expanding our Interchange programme and the number of loans to the private sector has increased. More precise information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.