§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff were seconded from the private sector to his Department in(a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the companies from which staff have been seconded. [109292]
§ Mr. Chris Smith[holding answer 9 February 2000]: In my Department, secondments and attachments are part of the Interchange Initiative, which promotes the exchange of people and good practice between the Civil Service and other organisations. All sectors of the economy are involved: Voluntary, Education, Health, Public and Private. Interchange is a key component of the reform agenda. The Modernising Government White Paper committed us to increasing interchange, in particular by bringing in more people on secondment and sending more of our people out.
The staff seconded from the private sector to my Department are as follows:
(a) One secondment for the period May 1997 to April 1998 from Trench Farrow and Partners, who left in December 1998. One specialist from the music sector was employed on a short term contract during this period and this arrangement continues.(b) There were no new secondments during the period May 1998 to April 1999. One specialist from the music sector was employed on a short term contract during this period and this arrangement continues.(c) There have been no new secondments from the private sector since May 1999 but two specialists from the tourism and sports sectors have been employed on short term contracts and these arrangements continue.