§ Mr. TyrieTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when his strategy division was established; which of its reports are placed in the public domain; how many departmental or non-departmental special advisers participate in its work; how many regular(a) non-departmental and (b) departmental staff participate in its work; and how many of these work for the division on a full-time basis. [150367]
383W
§ Mr. WillsThe strategy division was originally created in 1996 to provide the Department with the capability to identify and plan for the external changes, developments and potential challenges that education, training and employment policy would need to take account of in coming years. One of its first tasks was to co-ordinate and produce the document: "Learning and Working together for the future—A strategic framework to 2002", which was published by the Department in November 1998. This was given a wide public circulation and remains available.
No special advisers participate in the division's work, through freelance consultants are occasionally used to provide specialist knowledge and support. Currently 25 full-time staff work in the division.
§ Mr. TyrieTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when his policy innovation unit was established; which of its reports are placed in the public domain; how many departmental or non-departmental special advisers participate in its work; how many regular(a) non-departmental and (b) departmental staff participate in its work; and how many of these work for the unit on a full-time basis. [150368]
§ Mr. WillsThe policy innovation unit in the DfEE was established in January 2000. Staff have been recruited from a variety of private, voluntary and public sector backgrounds to work alongside a core civil service team, looking at new policy ideas for Ministers and senior officials. Strategy and policy units typically provide internal advice to Ministers. Any resulting reports will be published by the Department, and not the unit. No departmental or non-departmental special advisers work in the unit. The unit currently has 13 externally recruited team members. Of these, four are on casual civil service contracts (all full-time), two are on secondment (both part-time) and seven are working as consultants (two full-time and five part-time). The unit also has five departmental staff, all of whom are full-time.