To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many people aged over (a) 55 and (b) 60 years were recruited by the Government Equalities Office in 2007-08; and what percentage in each case this was of the number of new recruits. (251672)

The Government Equalities Office was established on 12 October 2007. Including those staff who came to us through the machinery of government changes that set up the GEO, in 2007-08 GEO recruited two staff over 55 years of age, representing 11 per cent. of new recruits, and one member of staff aged over 60 years, equivalent to 6 per cent. of new recruits.