To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people aged over (a) 55 and (b) 60 years were recruited by his Department in 2007-08; and what percentage in each case this was of the number of new recruits. (228752)

The Department was formed as part of the Machinery of Government changes announced on 28 June 2007. Figures are available from 28 June 2007 to 30 September 2008. The information is set out as follows: