To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time staff are to be employed by the Care Quality Commission once it becomes fully operational in April 2009. (248558)

The Chair of the Care Quality Commission has informed us that most positions in the Commission will be filled by staff transferring from the Healthcare Commission, Commission for Social Care Inspection and Mental Health Act Commission. The process for transferring staff is under way, and information on which transferring staff are full-time or part-time will not be available until late March 2009.

Exact staff numbers are therefore still being finalised.