To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff funded by the public purse in his Department are classified as people without posts.

The Home Office, which includes the Border and Immigration Agency, Identity and Passport Service and Criminal Records Bureau, has 99 staff currently funded by the public purse who are classified as people without permanent posts. This figure represents less than 0.33 per cent. of total Home Office staff.

These staff are currently undertaking work for the Department while actively seeking other permanent posts either within the Home Office and its Agencies or in another Government Department.