HC Deb 18 December 1945 vol 417 c1097
30. Mr. Gammans

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many people are employed at the headquarters and in the regional offices of his Department, respectively; and what is the total cost by way of salaries and otherwise.

Mr. Shinwell

The number of persons employed on 1st December was at headquarters offices 1,871 and at regional offices 6,563. The vast majority of those employed in the regions are engaged on opencast coal production and petrol rationing. The total cost is approximately £3 million per annum.

Mr. Gammans

Have the figures gone up or down in the last three months?

Mr. Shinwell

I suspect they have gone down, but perhaps not much.

Mr. Grimston

Can the Minister say how many members of those staffs will become redundant with the abolition of petrol rationing?

Mr. Shinwell

Quite a large number, and the sooner I can get rid of petrol rationing the sooner I can get rid of a lot of people.

Mr. Sydney Silverman

How much is the cost increased by questions of this kind?

Major Lloyd

How many of these regional officers are old poachers turned gamekeepers?

Mr. Shinwell

I will inquire about that.