HC Deb 17 March 1995 vol 256 cc774-5W
Ms Harman

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what guidance has been issued in respect of the recruitment and appointment of non-permanent employees in (i) his Department and (ii) executive agencies supervised by his Department.

Mr. Waldegrave

[holding answer 15 March 1995]All recruitment in my Department and its agencies is conducted in accordance with the Civil Service Order in Council 1991. Detailed guidance is given in the civil service management code which is available to all personnel staff.

Ms Harman

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. Waldegrave

[holding answer 15 March 1995]The terms of employment of all staff within the Department and its agencies who are on a temporary contract of up to 51 weeks are based on the guidance set out in Treasury general circular No. 375 issued on 30 April 1991.

Ms Harman

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. Waldegrave

[holding answer 15 March 1995]Some casual staff occupy posts at EO level and above, but the vast majority are employed in the clerical and support grades.

Ms Harman

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fishers and Food 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 this year and each of the last five years, in each case specifying what percentage of the respective total work force these employees constitute.

Mr. Waldegrave

[holding answer 15 March 1995]The total numbers of temporary workers on contracts of up to 51 weeks in my Department and its agencies for the years 1991 to 1995 are as follows:

Percentage of total work force
Year Core-MAFF Agencies (Core-MAFF and agencies)
1991 535 79 5.8
1992 592 84 6.4
1993 847 314 10.2

Percentage of total work, force
Year Core-MAFF Agencies (Core-MAFF and agencies)
1994 836 290 9.8
1995 733 310 9.2

Ms Harman

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. Waldegrave

[holding answer 15 March 1995]Staff are employed on temporary contracts for a variety of reasons including to cover unexpected short-term requirements which cannot be forecast three years ahead. Therefore, only broad estimates are possible. My Department expects to employ around 1,000 people on contracts of up to 51 weeks over the next three years. The agencies are expected to employ some 300 such people. No estimates are possible of the number of those employees who would have previously been employed in a similar position on the same contract.

Ms Harman

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for this year and each of the last 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 (b) less than 51 weeks' duration are re-employed in the same or similar position at a later date.

Mr. Waldegrave

The number of members of staff re-employed by my Department and its executive agencies under temporary contracts of up to 51 weeks in the years 1991 to 1995 is as follows:

Year Core-MAFF Agencies
1991 7 0
1992 16 41
1993 21 50
1994 28 107
1995 8 57