§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines are operated by his Department as regards the use of executive search agencies to fill vacancies within his Department and his Department's executive agencies; and in what circumstances his Department employs executive search agencies instead of relying fully on departmental resources to fill vacant posts.
§ Mr. RedwoodMy Department does not use executive search agencies to fill vacancies in the Department or its executive agencies. It would consider doing so if this offered a cost-effective means of recruitment and was consistent with the principles of fair and open competition.