HC Deb 13 May 1994 vol 243 cc285-6W
Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Paul Martin was recruited as an unestablished civil servant; by what means the posts in his Department were advertised for recruitment; on what date; which kind of recruitment panel interviewed him; and for what length of contract.

Mr. Aitken

Mr. Martin was recruited as an established and permanent civil servant by Recruitment and Assessment Services. This followed advertising for the central competition for fast stream administrators and managers in the national press and through graduate careers services during 1992. The recruitment process involved interviews and other selection tests by the civil service selection board and the final selection board, whose members include serving civil servants and external representatives.

Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date Mr. Paul Martin commenced employment as a permanent civil servant; and on what date he became an established civil servant in his Department.

Mr. Aitken

On 14 June 1993 in both cases.

Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he provided a reference for Mr. Paul Martin for the purposes of his recruitment into the permanent home civil service.

Mr. Aitken

No.

Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the grade, duties and job description of Mr. Paul Martin(a) at the time of his suspension, (b) at the commencement of his employment and (c) at the time of any material change during the course of his employment.

Mr. Aitken

Mr. Martin joined the Ministry of Defence as a higher executive officer (development), a training grade.

He has held only one post, in which his duties have involved policy work on bilateral defence relations with Austria, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, on questions relating to defence and the development of the European Union and, since January 1994, on arrangements to implement the partnership for peace initiative taken at the NATO summit. In carrying out these duties, he has been responsible for providing his line managers with draft written briefing for Ministers, senior officials and senior military officers.