Gareth ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria she uses to assess the performance of the recruitment consultants employed by her Department. [86200]
§ Ms HewittRecruitment consultants are appointed, through a competitive tendering process, for all my Department's major external recruitment campaigns. This enables the Department to choose the most appropriate contractor for each specific situation. A call-off arrangement, negotiated by Cabinet Office, exists for recruitment consultants who specialise in appointments into the Senior Civil Service.
The specification for the recruitment services to be provided is announced at an early stage, which provides a basis for assessing the performance of the contractor, and regular project meetings enable problems to be identified and solutions found. Performance is also assessed at the end of each campaign, and any lessons learned are carried forward to the next.