§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were employed in the departmental filestores in each year since 1997; how many have been transferred to the private sector; and if he will make a statement. [98856]
§ Mr. LammyThe Department of Health filestore services have been contracted out since April 1996. Since that date the contractors have employed staff in the following numbers:
1 April to 31 March Number employed (whole time equivalent) 1996–97 5.5 1997–98 4.5 1998–99 4.5 1999–2000 5.5 2000–01 5.5 2001–02 6.5 2002–03 5.5 These numbers include a manager on-site two to three days a week, but do not include casual staff recruited to help out with occasional peaks of work.
695WNo records management or filestore staff have been transferred to the private sector since 1996.