§ Ms HodgeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what changes there have been in the number of staff employed by(a) the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and (b) agencies for which the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is responsible, listing the changes in the number of staff agency by agency in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and what changes are projected for 1995–96; [25061]
(2) how many posts were lost in (a) the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and (b) agencies for which the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is responsible, listing the total lost posts agency by agency in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and how many posts are proposed to be lost in 1995–96; [25081]
(3) what changes there have been in the number of staff in employment by grade in (a) his Ministry and (b) each agency for which his Ministry is responsible in (i) 199394 and (ii) 1994–95; and what are the projected figures for 1995–96; [25623]
(4) how many staff of (a) the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and (b) agencies for which MAFF is responsible, were employed on a casual or short-term basis in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and what are the projected figures for 1995–96. [25489]
§ Mr. WaldegraveInformation on the number of casual staff employed in my Department in 1993–94, projected outturn for 1994–95, and plans for 1995–96 are published in my Department's annual report which is in the Library of the House. Separate information on posts is not available. No projections broken down by grade are available. I am asking the chief executives to reply for their agency.
Letter from Dr. J. M. Walsh to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 25 May 1995:
The Minister of Agriculture has asked me to reply direct to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question number 1272. In this you asked for information on how many posts were lost in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and how many posts are proposed to be lost in 1995–96.ADAS was established in June 1992 as an Agency jointly owned by MAFF and the Welsh Office.Compared with the previous year the number of posts lost, within the Agency was as follows:
- 1993–94: 121 posts
- 1994–95: 392 posts
There are no proposed figures for 1995–96.Letter from Dr. J. M. Walsh to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 25 May 1995:
The Minister of Agriculture has asked me to reply direct to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question number 1271. In this you asked for information on what changes there have been in the number of staff employed in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and what changes are projected for 1995–96.ADAS was established as an Executive Agency in June 1992 and is jointly owned by MAFF and the Welsh Office.318WMy answer to this Parliamentary Question is the same given to PQ numbers 1272 and 1279. We do not have projected figures for 1995–96.Letter from Guy Stapleton to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated May 1995:
The Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply to your Question about changes in the number of staff employed by this Agency since 1993–94 as the matter is one within my operational responsibility.The average number of staff employed by the Agency was 983 in 1993–94,973 in 1994–95, and is currently projected to be 991 in 1995–96.Letter from Guy Stapleton to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated May 1995:
The Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of posts lost in this Agency since 1993–94 as the matter is one within my operational responsibility.The Intervention Board does not operate a system of complemented posts. The Agency operates within the annual salary cost limits agreed with the Treasury which are within the running costs totals approved by Parliament. Salary budgets are delegated to line managers, who use an appropriate mix of permanent and casual staff and overtime to meet workloads. Staff year figures are given in the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food and the Intervention Board Departmental Report 1995 (CM 2803).Letter from Dr. J. M. Rutter to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 23 May 1995:
The Minister has asked me to reply to your question about changes in the number of staff employed by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, as this is an operational matter for which I am responsible.This information is published in Annex 6 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Departmental Report for 1995, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.Letter from Dr. J. M. Rutter to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 23 May 1995:
The Minister has asked me to reply to your question about the number of posts lost in the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, as this is an operational matter for which I am responsible.No posts were lost in the Directorate in 1993/94 or 1994/95, nor are any proposed to be lost in 1995/96.Letter from T. W. A. Little to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated May 1995:
The Minister has asked me to reply to your questions about the number of staff employed and posts lost at the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL).The average number of staff employed is as follows:
Permanent Casual 1993–94 636 30 1994–95 621 41 1995–96 619 44½ The 1995/96 figure is at 1 April 1995. However, you may be aware of the merger of the CVL with MAFF's Veterinary Investigation Service which was announced by the Minister on 4 May. This will result in an increase of approximately 300 in Agency staff numbers and a reduction in MAFF's.The posts lost are as follows:
Number 1993/94 7 1994/95 5 1995/96 (estimate) 2 The figure for 1995/96 reflects losses already agreed but other posts may arise during the course of the year.319WLetter from G. K. Bruce to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 8 June 1995:
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply, in respect of the Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD), to a number of questions you have raised about appointments, staffing levels and retirements.Information on the numbers of staff employed in the Agency in 1993–94, project outturn for 1994–95 and plans for 1995–96 are published in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's Annual Report which is in the Library of the House. PSD's Annual Report and Accounts, which is also available in the Library of the House, gives the total number of staff employed in the Agency and provides a general breakdown between scientific and administrative staff.The number of staff who have left, or are projected to leave PSD under early retirement, voluntary redundancy, compulsory redundancy or on medical retirement are:
1993/94 1994/95 (i) Early Retirement 0 1 (ii) Voluntary Redundancy 0 6 (iii) Compulsory Redundancy 0 7 (iv) Retired on Medical Grounds 0 0 It is not possible to project the number of staff who will leave PSD in the current financial year through the Voluntary Early Retirement Scheme, redundancy or medical retirement.
§ Ms HodgeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes there have been in the number of staff in employment by grade in(a) his Ministry and (b) each agency for which his Ministry is responsible in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and what are the projected figures for 1995–96. [25623]
§ Mr. WaldegraveInformation on the numbers of staff employed in my Department in 1993–94, projected outturn for 1994–95, and plans for 1995–96 are published in my Department's annual report which is in the Library of the House. No projections broken down by grade are available. I am asking the chief executives to reply for their agency.
Letter from Dr. J. M. Rutter to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 24 May 1995:
The Minister has asked me to reply to your question about the changes in staffing by grade at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, as this is an operational matter for which I am responsible.The information you requested is set out in, the attached table. Can I emphasise that the return is based on actual staff in post, both full time and part time, on 1 April for each of the financial years you identified. At 1 April 1995, some posts were vacant and the recruitment of replacements is being actively pursued.320W
Staff in Post Grade 1993–941 1994–9522 1995–963 4 1 1 1 5 2 2 2 6 2 2 2 7 9.5 11.8 11.8 SROII 5 4 4 RO 7 7.8 6.8 PO1 1 1 1 SEO 2 2 1 SSO 5 7.3 6.8 HEO 7 7 8 EO/AT 13.5 12.5 10.5 AO 14.5 18.2 16 AA 13 15.6 14.5 Typing manager 1 1 1
Staff in Post Grade 1993–941 1994–952 1995–963 Typists 3.5 4.6 3.5 Personal secretaries 3 3 3 Messengers 2 2 2 92 102.8 94.9 1 As at 1 April 1993. 2 As at 1 April 1994. 3 As at 1 April 1995. Letter from Dr. J. M. Walsh to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 22 May 1995:
The Minister of Agriculture has asked me to reply direct to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question number 1279. In this you asked for details of the changes that there have been in the number of staff in employment by grade in i) 1993/95 and ii) 1994/95; and what the projected figures are for 1995/96.I attach a sheet listing the details for 1993/94 and 1994/95. We do not have projected figures for 1995/96.321W
Grade Total 1993–94 Total 1994–95 AA 216 136 AO 186 139 APPI 5 6 APPII 14 13 ASO 192 201 Assistant Librarian 1 1 Carpenter 1 — Consultant 608 472 Craftsman 56 59 EO 56 42 Farm Manager 9 10 Grade 2 1 1 Grade 3 1 1 Grade 4 2 2 Grade 5 15 13 Grade 6 32 34 Grade 7 90 82 General Farm Worker 17 31 Graphics Officer 3 2 GOTGI 2 — HEO 22 14 HGO 1 1 HMCO 7 7 HPO 1 2 HSO 45 36 Industrial 8 5 IT Specialist 15 10 Librarian 1 1 MCO 50 47 MCTGI 18 15 Photographic Officer 1 — Personal Secretary 27 24 PTO 24 15 Student 22 18 SEO 7 7 SGBI 11 10 SGBII 28 24 SGBII (Cleaner) 25 17 SMCO 1 — Scientific Officer 128 87 Senior Consultant 297 303 Senior IT Specialist 5 9 Senior Personal Secretary 3 3 Statistician—Senior 4 Sampler Tester 11 10 Team Leader 93 88 Typing Manager 1 1 Typist 137 99 Total 2,496 2,104 Letter from Guy Stapleton to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated May 1995:
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply to your question about the number of staff by grade for 1993/94, 1994/95 and the projected figures for 1995/96 in the Intervention Board as this matter is within my operational responsibility.The numbers of permanent and casual staff employed by the Agency in 1993–94, projected outturn for 1994–95, and plans for 1995–96 are published in the Departmental Report for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Intervention Board, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.A breakdown by grade for the last two financial years is below. The Agency's staffing for 1995/96 is being reviewed in the light of work changes, and no current projection by grade is therefore available.
Grade 1993–94 1994–95 G3 1 1 G5 5 5 G6 4 4 G7 21 23 SEO 46 47 HEO 113 111 EO 203 195 AO 406 391 AA 102 86 ADAS1 1 1 ADAS2 1 1 Personal Secretary 12 12 Chief Typing Manager 1 0 Typing Manager 2 1 Typist 18 14 Support Grade Band 1 9 8 Support Grade Band 2 22 18 Supt. TLX 1 1 Spec. TLX 4 3 Sub total 972 922 Casual staff 11 51 Total 983 973 The total of casual staff employed by the Agency are employed in the clerical grades. The figures provided are based on casual staff employed on short term work. Where casual staff are employed in established jobs while decisions are made about future overall staffing levels these are included in the overall grade totals.
§ Ms HodgeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff of(a) the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and (b) agencies for which the MAFF is responsible (i) took early retirement, (ii) took voluntary redundancy, (iii) took compulsory redundancy and (iv) were retired on medical grounds in (1) 1993–94 and (2) 1994–95; and what is the projected figure for 1995–96. [25474]
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe available information for core MAFF is as follows:
322W
1993–94 1994–95 1995–961 Early retirement, voluntary redundancy and compulsory redundancy 40 130 200+ Medical retirement 52 44 25+ 1 Provisional estimate. A detailed breakdown of the retirement and redundancy categories could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
MAFF's agencies will be replying direct by letters from chief executives.
Letter from T. W. A. Little to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated May 1995:
The Minister has asked me to reply to your questions about the number of staff employed at the Central Veterinary Laboratory (CVL) as well as other issues relating to early retirement and redundancy. I have also been asked to reply to your question about contracting-out of work and other work subject to a "bidding process". Your questions about expenditure on consultancy and the costs of redundancy/early retirement will, I understand, be answered by the Minister for the Department and its Agencies.I have already provided you with the average number of staff employed at CVL throughout a given year. Further outturn information on the numbers of staff employed at CVL for the years in which you are interested is published in MAFFs Departmental Report which is in the Library of the House. Details by grade are not available.Turning to information about staff medically retired, taking early retirement and redundancy etc, the information you require is as follows:
1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 (i) Early retirement 1 — — (ii) Voluntary redundancy 5 5 12 (iii) Compulsory redundancy 2 — — (iv) Medical retirement 2 7 13 1 Estimate. You also asked about work that had been subject to a "bidding process" and work at CVL that has been contracted-out. In both cases you were interested in the information for the years 1993/94 and 1994/95 and proposals for 1995/96. CVL has a considerable number of contracts with private sector companies for the provision of services covering such areas as ground maintenance, refurbishment, cleaning and security. However, these have been in existence for many years and none have been let for the first time, contracted-out, during the years in which you are interested.CVL has run a market testing programme and in 1993/94 the in-house Library team were awarded a Service Level Agreement for the provision of library services. In the following year, 1994/95, the in-house Messenger and Driver team and Waste Disposal and Incineration teams were also awarded Service Level Agreements to provide these services. All this work was won in open competition. No contracts previously carried out in-house were awarded to outside bidders. For 1995/96 no decisions have been taken to contract-out any in-house activities although we are constantly questioning the relative value of each of our services and whether they are most effectively discharged in-house or whether they should, instead, be out-sourced.Letter from P. I. Stanley to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 22 May 1995:
Numbers of staff in MAFF and its agencies who took early retirement, voluntary and compulsory redundancy, or were retired on medical grounds in 1993/94 and 1994/95 with projections for 1995/96The Central Science Laboratory (CSL) was first launched as an executive agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) in April 1992 and was re-launched as an enlarged agency two years later following its merger with the MAFF Food Science Laboratories. The figures provided below therefore relate to the original CSL Agency for 1993/94 and the enlarged Agency thereafter.323W
1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 Voluntary Early Retirement 1 4 1 Voluntary Redundancy 0 0 0 Compulsory Redundancy 0 0 0 Medical Grounds Retirement 1 2 1 1 Projected Figures. CSL is currently located on five main sites with several smaller outstations throughout England. It is planned in the summer of 1996 to collocate the major part of the Agency to a single site near York where a new, purpose-built laboratory is at present under construction. Details of the number of staff at existing sites wishing to relocate to York are not yet available but it is possible that a number of staff may wish instead to seek voluntary early retirement during 1995/96 or 1996/97. Letter from J. M. Walsh to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 22 May 1995:
The Minister of Agriculture has asked me to reply direct to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question number 1281. In this you asked for how many staff i) took early retirement ii) took voluntary redundancy and iii) took compulsory redundancy and iv) were retired on medical grounds in (1) 1993/94 and (2) 1994/95; and what is the projected figure for 1995/96.ADAS was established in June 1992 as an Agency jointly owned by MAFF and the Welsh office.Defining early retirement as applying to people age 50, and voluntary redundancy as applying to staff under age 50, the information for ADAS is as follows:
1993–94 1994–95 (i) Early retirement 64 36 (ii) Voluntary redundancy 6 73 (iii) Compulsory redundancy 23 95 (iv) Medical retirement 12 9 There are no projected figures for 1995/96.Letter from Guy Stapleton to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 22 May 1995:
The Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply to your Question about early retirement and redundancy in the Intervention Board, as this is a matter within my operational responsibility.The figures for the last two financial years are:
Number of staff 1993–94 1994–95 (i) Took approved early retirement 0 1 (ii) Took voluntary early retirement on compulsory terms 0 7 (iii) Took compulsory redundancy 0 0 (iv) Were retired on medical grounds 3 2 On the projected figures for 1995–96, in category (i) there is an approved early retirement scheme in progress, and it is anticipated that 2 officers will retire early on these terms. In category (ii), 13 staff have already taken voluntary early retirement on compulsory terms during the current financial year. However, it is not possible to give an accurate total projected number in this category at this stage. This is because the Intervention Board may run another voluntary early retirement scheme towards the end of the financial year, depending on revised manpower requirements following the implementation of a major accounts project and changes in intervention work. In addition, forecasting is particularly difficult because reduction in staff numbers in some areas and in some grades have to be counterbalanced by possible increases in new work in 324W others. In category (iii), no compulsory redundancies are currently projected. In category (iv), it is impossible to give any total projections for retirement on medical grounds, because of the uncertainty and complexity of individual cases.Letter from J. M. Rutter to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 23 May 1995:
PQ 4 17 MAY 1995The Minister has asked me to reply to your question about retirement and redundancy in the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, as this is an operational matter for which I am responsible.The information you requested is set out in the table below:
1993/94 1994/95 1995/961 (i) Early retirement 0 3 0 (ii) Voluntary redundancy 0 0 0 (iii) Compulsory redundancy 0 0 0 (iv) Retired on medical grounds 0 0 0 1 Projected.
§ Ms HodgeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff of(a) the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and (b) agencies for which MAFF is responsible, were employed on a casual or short-term basis in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and what are the projected figures for 1995–96. [25489]
§ Mr. WaldegraveInformation on the numbers of casual staff employed in my Department in 1993–94, projected outturn for 1994–95, and plans for 1995–96 are published in my Department's annual report which is in the Library of the House. I am asking the chief executives to reply for their agency.
Letter from J. M. Rutter to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 24 May 1995:
PQ 8 17 MAY 1995The Minister has asked me to reply to your question about the employment of casual or short term staff in the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, as this is an operational matter for which I am responsible.This information is published in Annex 6 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Departmental Report for 1995, a copy of which is in the Library of the HouseLetter from J. M. Walsh to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 22 May 1995:
The Minister of Agriculture has asked me to reply direct to you in answer to your Parliamentary Question number 1285. In this you asked for how many staff were employed on a casual or short-term basis in i) 1993/94 and ii) 1994/95; and what are the projected figures for 1995/96.ADAS is an agency of MAFF and the Welsh Office and was established in June 1992.The number of staff on casual or fixed term basis in ADAS was 237 at 1 April 1994 and 257 at 1 April 1995.Letter from Guy Stapleton to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated 22 May 1995:
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply to your question about the number of staff employed on a casual or short term basis in 1993/94, 1994/95 and the projected figures for 1995/96 in the Intervention Board as this matter is within my operational responsibility.The numbers of permanent and casual staff employed by the Agency in 1993–94, projected outturn for 1994–95, and plans for 325W 1995–96 are published in the Departmental Report for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Intervention Board, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.The latest available figures are:326W
Number of staff employed on a short term basis 1993/94 11 1994/95 51 1995/96 117 1 Projected. In addition 40 casual staff in 1993/94 and 37 casual staff in 1994/95 were employed in established jobs pending decisions about future overall staffing levels. For 1995/96 we envisage a reduction in the number of casual staff employed taking into account the need to recruit permanent staff into some areas and the reductions in numbers required following implementation of a new accounting system and an anticipated decline in intervention work.
Letter from Dr. P. I. Stanley to Ms Margaret Hodge, dated May 1995:
Details of the number of staff employed on a casual or short-term basis and changes in the number of staff employed in MAFF and its Agencies in 1993/94 and 1994/95, with projected 1995/96 figures.The Central Science Laboratory (CSL) was first launched as an executive agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) in April 1992 and was re-launched as an enlarged agency two years later following its merger with the MAFF Food Science Laboratories.Information on the number of staff employed in CSL during 1993/94, projected outturn for 1994/95 and plans for 1995/96 are published in the MAFF Departmental Annual Report, a copy of which is held in the Library of the House. I am unable to provide the full detail you have requested as no projections broken down by grade are available and nor is separate information on posts.