HL Deb 14 December 1995 vol 567 cc113-4WA
Lord Bancroft

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have any plans to change the status of the Recruitment and Assessment Services; and if so, for what reason and whether existing staff will be free to transfer elsewhere in the Civil Service before and after any such change.

Baroness Blatch

The Government's decision to transfer Recruitment and Assessment Services (RAS) to the private sector was announced on 23 November by the former Parliamentary Secretary in the other place, Mr. Horam. Freed from the constraints it faces operating within the pubic sector, RAS will be better able to improve services to existing customers and to pursue business opportunities in wider markets. Privatisation therefore offers the best way to secure the long-term interests of both staff and customers, as well as the taxpayer.

RAS staff will, in principle, be able to apply for other posts advertised within the Civil Service in the period before the sale subject, as now, to the agreement of line management that they can be released. Management will consider each case sympathetically on its merits but will be under an obligation to maintain the viability of RAS during this period. After privatisation, staff will be free to apply for Civil Service posts advertised externally.