§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many staff employed in the former Department of Employment will as a result of that Department's abolition,(a) be made redundant, (b) take early retirement, (c) be employed on a temporary contract instead of a permanent contract and (d) be employed on a part-time basis instead of a full-time basis; and if she will make a statement. [34660]
§ Mr. Robin SquireThe functions carried out by the former Employment Department will continue in the Departments to which they have been transferred. There may be some scope for rationalisation as a result of these changes but it is too soon to say what the effect will be. Our aim will be, if possible, to avoid compulsory redundancies, in the same way as the former Employment Department has achieved a reduction of over 4,000 staff in the last two years without compulsory redundancies.