asked the Minister for the Public Service the numbers availing of the scheme allowing for the transfer of personnel between the public sector and commercial companies; and if he will comment on the apparent lack of interest in the scheme to date.

My function in the area of staff exchanges relates mainly to the exchange of civil servants with staff at comparable levels in other areas of the public sector and the private sector. At present there are three exchanges involving the Civil Service and the private sector.

While I am disappointed with the number of Civil Service-private sector exchanges, the overall quality of the exchanges has been very satisfactory for both the Civil Service and the private sector. My Department are continuing their efforts to generate more exchanges and I would urge the Civil Service and the private sector to improve their participation levels in exchanges during 1986.