To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is on the renewal of the contracts of (a) temporary and (b) agency staff. (264312)

The recruitment of temporary staff is governed by the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Code. Agency workers are used as an interim measure for periods of up to 11 months to fill complemented and funded posts that cannot be filled by temporary promotion or internal posting or other recruitment action. In exceptional cases temporary staff may be extended up to a maximum of 24 months.