HC Deb 25 February 2002 vol 380 cc945-6W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in his Department have been seconded to jobs in the(a) private and (b) public sector in each of the last four years. [31776]

Ms Blears

Interchange is a key component of the reform agenda. The Modernising Government White Paper committed us to increasing interchange, in particular by bringing in more people on secondment and sending more of our people out. Secondments and attachments are part of the interchange initiative, which promotes the exchange of people and good practice between the Civil Service and other organisations. All sectors of the economy are involved: voluntary, education, health, public and private.

Central Records are held on the following secondments commenced in the years shown:

Public sector Private sector Total
1998–99 19 1 20
1999–2000 53 2 55
2000–01 85 1 86
2001–021 31 2 33
Total 188 6 194
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