Written question asked by Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 30 January 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 14 February 2002. It was answered by Hazel Blears (Labour) on Thursday, 14 February 2002 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff were seconded between (a) BP, (b) Shell, (c) Enron, (d) Exxon-Mobil, (e) Conoco, (f) Texaco and (g) TotalFinaElf and his Department in (i) 1999-2000, (ii) 2000-01 and (iii) April 2001 to the latest date for which figures are available.

Answer: Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were seconded between (a) BP, (b) Shell, (c) Enron, (d) Exxon-Mobil, (e) Conoco, (f) Texaco and (g) TotalFinaElf and his Department in (i) 1999-2000, (ii) 2000-01 and (iii) April 2001 to the latest date for which figures are available. [33211] Ms Blears: Interchange is a key component of the reform agenda. The Modernising Government White Paper committed us to increasing interchange, in particular by bringing in more people on secondment and sending more of our people out. Secondments and attachments are part of the interchange initiative, which promotes the exchange of people and good practice between the civil service and other organisations. All sectors of the economy are involved: voluntary, education, health, public and private. Centrally held records in the Department show that there have been no secondments between the Department and the companies asked about.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 33211; 380 c667-8W;380 c669W
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Companies Civil servants Energy Government departments Industry Oil Secondment Shell British Petroleum Department of Health Enron Conoco ExxonMobil TotalFinaElf Texaco
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk