To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new recruits her Department took on in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07, (c) 2007-08 and (d) 2008-09, how many of these were taken on as (i) permanent, (ii) temporary and (iii) agency staff; and what estimate she has made of the equivalent figures for (A) 2009-10 and (B) 2010-11. (254466)

Communities and Local Government have taken on the following number of staff since2005:

In 2009-10 and 2010-11, as in the current year, our administration budget is planned to fall by 5 per cent. in real terms. There is also evidence that the rate at which permanent staff are leaving the Department is falling. Against this background, I would expect to see some reduction in recruitment.