Mr. Robert G. HughesTo ask the Minister for the Civil Service what interchange of staff there has been in the last 12 months between Government Departments and the business sector; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. LuceAs I announced on 23 May,Official Report, column 190–91, we have had considerable success in increasing the interchange of staff between Government Departments and the business sector. In 1989, the latest period for which figures are available, there were 627 secondments lasting more than three months between the civil service and industrial or commercial organisations. This is 24 per cent. higher than in the previous year. There were also some 550 shorter-term secondments and increases in the attachments arranged under the Whitehall and industry and non-executive directorship schemes.
Details of these activities are included in my Department's report "Interchange of Staff between the Civil Service and Other Organisations—1989" which has been placed in the Library. This interchange is an essential ingredient in the fostering of greater understanding between Government and business. We hope to build further on the success of these arrangements in future years.