§ Captain Pluggeasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will give the extent to which there have been transfers of staff from one Civil Service Department to another in the course of the last 12 months; and whether efforts are being made to ensure that such transfers are made when possible instead of adding to the service by appointments from outside?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ColvilleIt would not be possible, without disproportionate expenditure of time and labour, to give details of all transfers of staff from one Government Department to another during the last 12 months. Such transfers have been of fairly frequent occurrence and cover a wide field. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative. My hon. and gallant Friend can rest assured that, if redundant staff exist, special steps are taken to absorb them before recourse is had to outside recruitment.