§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what use his Department and its executive agencies have made of executive search agencies or employment companies in filling vacancies within his Department or executive agencies administered by his Department during the financial years 1994–95 and 1995–96; what agencies were employed; what was the cost in each case; how many staff were recruited in each case; and what was the total cost in each financial year of these contracts. [31408]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordSaxton Bampfylde International plc, an executive search agency, was employed in 1994–95 to assist with the recruitment of the chief planning inspector at a cost of £33,000. No other agencies were employed in that year or in 1995–96.
§ Mr. DonohoeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in what circumstances his Department or its executive agencies uses an executive search or employment agency to recruit staff in preference to using personnel staff within his own Department or its executive agencies. [31521]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordWhere it is necessary to procure high-level advice in search and selection not available within my Department, and where it represents good value for money to procure processing capacity to handle occasional recruitment exercises, in all cases within the requirements of the civil service commissioners.