To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many civil servants in his Department have a criminal conviction.

All Home Office staff considered for appointment undergo stringent pre-employment and security checks before taking up post.

We recognise the contribution that former offenders can make to our workforce, however, in deciding whether to make an appointment we would consider a range of factors, including the nature of the position and the circumstances of the offence. However, to determine those members of staff with a criminal conviction in our current workforce can only be obtained with disproportionate effort.