To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to the answer of 6 June 2005, Official Report, column 545W, on departmental staff, why information on the number of staff whose performance has been assessed as unsatisfactory is not available for periods before 1 June 2005. (80759)

On 1 June 2005 the Department established a central database to record all types of personal cases including those staff whose performance had been assessed as unsatisfactory.

Central records prior to that date only show the number of staff who were dismissed owing to unsatisfactory performance. It did not record those unsatisfactory performers who improved and subsequently reached a satisfactory standard.