HC Deb 16 January 1945 vol 407 c18
29. Sir W. Smithers

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many officials were employed in the Mines Department in 1941; and how many were employed in his Ministry at the latest available date.

Major Lloyd George

At the beginning of 1941 the staff employed by the Mines Department numbered 1,177. At the beginning of last December the staff employed in my Ministry numbered 5,157. My hon. Friend will no doubt recollect that when the Ministry of Fuel and Power was formed it took over many functions in addition to those of the previous Mines Department. The staff taken over was approximately 3,625, the largest block of staff being in the Regional Petroleum Offices.

Sir W. Smithers

But can the Minister not see that in proportion to the increase in the number of officials, the production goes down?