To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 5 July 2007, Official Report, column 1132W, on Department: BAE Systems, how many and what percentage of applicants were (a) granted permission to join BAE and (b) took up posts with BAE in each of the last 10 years; how many were of those granted permission (i) civilian and (ii) military staff; what ranks each held; and how many were from the Defence Export Services Organisation. (149676)

[holding answer 16 July 2007]: Applications received and approved to join BAE Systems in the 10 years since 1997 are as follows:

Of the applicants given approval, four have been from the Defence Exports Services Organisation: one in 2002, two in 2006 and one in 2007. It is not possible to determine how many applicants actually took up the posts for which they sought approval. Of the total applications, 79.9 per cent. were granted permission without condition, 16.4 per cent. were granted permission subject to behavioural conditions or waiting periods and 3.7 per cent. were required to wait for the maximum period of two years. Of the 158 applications approved, the grades or ranks were as follows: