§ 22. Mr. HERRIOTTSasked the Minister of Pensions the number of officials employed by the Ministry in the administration throughout the country previous to the passing of the present Pensions Act and the number employed by the administration at present, with the comparative costs for the two periods; and the number of persons receiving pensions for the two periods named?
§ Major TRYONExcluding the staff of Ministry hospitals and other institutions, the total staff paid by the Ministry, including the staffs of local committees, at the end of the June quarter, 1921, was 23,329, and at the end of the September quarter, 1922, 19,509, a reduction in this staff of 3,820. The average monthly cost at the same periods was £476,000 and £343,000, respectively. The number of beneficiaries at those dates was 3,320,000 and 2,620,000, respectively.