Mr W Clark via e-mail 
[FOI #18504 email]
 
 
19 October 2009 
 
Dear Mr Clark, 
 
Freedom of Information Request - RFI20091353  
 
Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”) received on 25 
September 2009, seeking the following information:   
 
‘How many of your externally advertised job vacancies over the last 12 months - up to the date of this 
request - were filled by internal applicants (already working within the Corporation) and how many by 
external applicants? 
 
Please detail how many jobs were external y advertised and filled in total. 
 
If some jobs were only advertised internally please supply the number in total of internally advertised jobs.’ 
 
Please find below information relating to filled vacancies (campaigns) handled by BBC HR Direct during the 
period 1 October 2008 to 30 September 2009.  Please note that one ‘campaign’ may refer to multiple posts 
for the same role, therefore the number of hires will be greater than the number of campaigns. 
 
No of 
% of 
Campaign Type 
Campaigns  Total 
Internally Advertised 
1,599 
54.4 
Externally Advertised 
1,341 
45.6 
Total 2,940 
100.0 
 
Applicant 
Number 
% of 
Type 
of Hires 
Total 
Internal 2,050 
51.9 
External 1,899 
48.1 
Total 3,949 
100.0 
 

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Please note, as our subsidiaries (BBC Studios & Post Production Ltd, BBC Worldwide Ltd and World 
Service Trust) are not subject to the Act – under section 6(1) (b)(ii) – the information for their personnel 
is not included in the figures quoted above.   
 
Due to the way the information is recorded on the recruitment system, it is not possible to cross-match 
the type of hire (internal/external) against the campaign type (advertised internally/externally), therefore we 
are unable to provide a definitive response to your query for the number of externally advertised vacancies 
filled by internal and external applicants. 
 
In order to respond in full to your request the BBC would need to investigate the record for each 
individual vacancy.  As there are nearly 3,000 campaigns and 4,000 individuals covered by this request, we 
estimate that to carry out this search would take more than two and a half days.  Under section 12 of the 
Act, we are allowed to refuse to handle the request if it would exceed the appropriate limit.  The 
appropriate limit has been set by the Regulations (SI 2004/3244) as being £450 (equivalent to two and a half 
days work, at an hourly rate of £25).  
 
 
Your Appeal Rights: 
 
If you are not satisfied with this response you have the right to an internal review by a BBC senior 
manager.  Please contact us at the following address: BBC Freedom of Information, Room 2252, White 
City, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TS, explaining what you would like us to review and including your 
reference number: If you are not satisfied with the internal review, you can appeal to the Information 
Commissioner.  The contact details are: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, 
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, telephone 01625 545 700 or see http://www.ico.gov.uk/ 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
Robert Johnston 
BBC People 
 
 

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