To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 6 November 2008, Official Report, column 680W, on departmental personnel, how many staff within (a) HM Revenue & Customs and (b) the Valuation Office Agency are classified as pre-surplus. (241937)

Pre-surplus status gives staff priority for vacancies in HMRC and in other Government Departments.

On 5 December the number of staff classified as pre-surplus was as follows:

(a) 2,874 HM Revenue and Customs staff, and

(b) No Valuation Office Agency staff.