Lord Bruce of Doningtonasked Her Majesty"s Government:
How many central government civil servants in grades 1-7 from each department (a) are currently employed by, or have at any time been on a period of secondment at the European Commission; (b) are currently on secondment at the European Commission and (i) are not expected to return to a United Kingdom government department; or (ii) are expected to return to such a department.
§ The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Strathclyde)Secondments to the European Commission take place under the Detached National Expert scheme. Since the scheme was introduced in 1989, 65 civil servants in Grades 5 to 7 have completed secondments to the European Commission. A further 66 are currently on secondment. No civil servants above Grade 5 have been seconded under the scheme. Details, by deprtment or agency, are as follows:
Department/Agency Completed Current Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food 4 5 Cabinet Office 2 0 Central Statistical Office 0 4 HM Customs and Excise 3 7 Department for Education 0 2 Employment Department 6 3 Department of Environment 8 7 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2 1 Department of Health 0 4 Health and Safety Executive 5 5 HM Treasury 1 0 Home Office 0 2 Inland Revenue 0 1 Northern Ireland Civil Service 8 4 Overseas Development Administration 2 3 Patent Office 0 1 Scottish Office 1 3 Department of Social Security 2 2 Department of Trade and Industry 16 9 Department of Transport 4 3 Treasury Solicitor 1 0 Totals 65 66 All secondees are expected to return to their parent departments. Details of the secondments which took place before the current scheme was introduced and of 86WA the number of former civil servants who have been, or are currently, employed as permanent officials in the European Commission are not held centrally.