§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the cost of the job advertisements for (a) a Chief Inspector of the National Probation Service for England and Wales; (b) HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales; and (c) a Chaplain General of HM Prison Service, which appeared in The Times of 15 February; and why public sector appointment advertisements are not evenly distributed between the major daily newspapers. [HL841]
§ Lord Bassam of BrightonThe costs of the job advertisements for Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of the National Probation Service for England and Wales and Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales was £16,936 for each post, in total a figure of £39,799 including VAT. The cost of the advertisement for the Chaplain General was £9,202 including VAT.
In filling public sector appointments, we want to ensure that as best we can we attract the right person for the job. As with many jobs, particular and quite specialist skills may be sought of prospective applicants, and we will often consult with a professional recruitment service on where advertisements would best be placed. With this in mind, it would not be practical to limit ourselves to a regular media circle in which to insert advertisements.