To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department’s policy is on the renewal of the contracts of (a) temporary and (b) agency staff. (264308)

Temporary and agency workers should be used only as a short-term solution to fill a particular need that cannot be met by permanent staff. Unless there are exceptional circumstances supported by a compelling business case, all temporary and agency staff should have their booking ended by the time they have worked for the Department for 11 months, or have accrued 11 months continuous service within the Home Office and other Government Departments. The policy to restrict to 11 months has been promulgated by the Cabinet Office and is now departmental policy.