To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of staff in his Department were over 60 years of age in each of the last three years. (145684)

Information on the number of staff over 60 is not available for March 2005, but figures for the last two years are shown in the following table. The figures relate to both our UK-based staff and staff appointed locally overseas.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people aged (a) over 55 years of age and (b) over 60 years of age have been recruited by his Department in each of the last three years; and what percentage in each case this is of the number of new recruits in each year. (145702)

In 2004, there were 409 new recruits to DFID, of which 10 were over age 55 and a further three over age 60. These represent 2.44 per cent. and 0.73 per cent. of the total respectively.

For 2005, there were 243 new recruits to DFID, of which eight (3.29 per cent.) were over age 55 and one (0.41 per cent.) was over age 60.

In 2006 the total was 208, with six (2.88 per cent.) over age 55 and none over age 60.

These figures include both our UK-based staff and those appointed locally overseas.