§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many unfilled vacancies for permanent staff her Department has; what percentage of staff positions in her Department are vacant; what the monthly cost would be to her Department of employing civil servants in these positions; how many and what percentage of staff her Department employs on a temporary basis through employment agencies; how much her Department paid employment agencies to supply temporary staff in each of the last 12 months; and how much she expects to pay employment agencies to supply temporary staff in each of the next 12 months. [131431]
§ Clare ShortThe figures requested are as follows:
- Unfilled vacancies for permanent staff—13
- Percentage of staff positions currently vacant—0.95 per cent.
- Monthly cost of employing civil servants in these positions—£22,000
- Number of staff employed on a temporary basis through
- employment agencies, on average, in the last 12 months—23,
- and
- Percentage of total staff so employed—1.6 per cent.
- Amount paid to employment agencies in the last 12 months to 30 June 2000—£328,710.
As far as the next 12 months are concerned it is not possible to anticipate precise needs but we shall be undertaking a number of external recruitment exercises and would expect to see a reduction in the need to use employment agencies.