§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many employees in (i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies supervised by his Department have been employed on temporary contracts of(a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks duration for the current year and each of the past five years, in each case specifying what percentage of the respective total workforce these employees constituted.
§ Mr. GoodladThere are no employees on temporary contracts of 51 weeks.
589WThe information requested at (b) is not readily available but will he provided to the hon. Member shortly.
§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people he expects to employ in (i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies for which he is responsible on temporary contracts of(a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks duration in the next three years, in each case specifying the number of employees who had previously been employed in a similar position on the same contract.
§ Mr. GoodladWe have no specific targets.
§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for the current year and each of the past five years, how many employees in (i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies for which his Department is responsible who have been employed on temporary contracts of(a) 51 weeks or (14 less than 51 weeks duration are re-employed in the same or similar position at a later date.
§ Mr. GoodladWe do not employ staff on temporary contracts of 51 weeks.
It is not unusual for casual staff—that is, those employed on renewable monthly or quarterly contracts of less than 51 weeks duration—to be re-employed in the same or similar position following a short break.
It is not Foreign and Commonwealth Office policy to terminate contracts and re-appoint as a means of denying employment rights.
Information for the preceding five years is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what positions in(i) his Department and (ii) all executive agencies for which his Department is responsible are filled by employees who are employed on temporary contracts of (a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks duration.
§ Mr. GoodladThere are no positions filled by employees on temporary contracts of 51 weeks duration.
Positions filled by casual employees, that is, those employed on renewable monthly or quarterly contracts of less than 51 weeks duration include language teachers, escorting officers, library assistants, translators and interpreters, statisticians, technical archivists, scientific officers, professional advisers and some administrative and support grade posts.
§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the full terms of employment as specified to employees in his Department and all executive agencies for which he is responsible who are employed on a temporary contract of(a) 51 weeks or (b) less than 51 weeks duration.
§ Mr. GoodladThe terms and conditions of employment vary according to the type of appointment. Model letters of appointment are available for viewing in the Libraries of both Houses.
§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance has been issued in respect of the recruitment and appointment of non-permanent employees in (i) his590W Department and (ii) all executive agencies supervised by his Department.
§ Mr. GoodladWe have not issued specific guidance in respect of recruitment and appointment of non-permanent employees but follow the guidelines laid down by Her Majesty's Treasury.