Staff are being let go as the use of agency staff has come to a grinding halt, according to the chief procurement officer of a government office.

Tim Lever, chief procurement officer at The Land Registry, told delegates at the Civil Service Live conference in London yesterday that while control over the use of agency staff was important, the organisation had had to let interim staff go as a result of a squeeze on public spending.  One of those let go was at director level, he said

Lever said he had been left in the dark about if and when staff would be re-engaged.  “I hope we get clarification very quickly,” he said.

John Hunt, chief executive at The Met Office, said the ability to bring in expertise by using agencies was important.  “Sometime, I want to bring in some expertise that I don’t have,” he said.