§ Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff the Department employs on a temporary basis through employment agencies; what percentage this is of total staff employed; and how much the Department paid employment agencies to supply temporary staff in(a) 2001–02, (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2003–04 to the most recent date for which figures are available. [158247]
§ Alun MichaelThere are no central records of the number of staff employed on a temporary basis through employment agencies. Departmental accounts show payments to employment agencies for the supply of temporary staff and consultants as follows: 2001–02—£27.03 million; 2002–03—£19.6 million; 2003/end of February 2004—£14.7 million.