To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the Answer of 24 July 2006, Official Report, column 1028W, on Enterprise Insight, whether all the local and sectoral enterprise campaign hubs are now fully functional; whether Enterprise Insight’s recruitment process has now been completed; and what the cost has been of the recruitment process. (96414)

Enterprise Insight advises that of the five local hubs, Coventry and Liverpool are fully functional; Lowestoft, Wakefield and Teesside are not.

Of the three sectoral hubs, retail is fully functional; creative industries and manufacturing are not.

Of the 21 Enterprise Insight staff posts involved in these hubs, 15 are in post, 3 are appointed but have yet to start, and 3 have yet to be appointed. In addition, resources equivalent to four staff are being made available through agreements with partner organisations in Coventry and Lowestoft.

Enterprise Insight expects all hubs to fully functional by early 2007.

Enterprise Insight advises that the cost to date of the recruitment to the 21 posts is £117,000.