§ 50. Mr. Osborneasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take immediate steps drastically to reduce the staffs of Government Departments so as to free more labour for trade and industry which is finding it increasingly difficult to recruit adequate staff.
§ Sir S. CrippsAs I informed the House on 26th October, the numbers of staff required in Departments in relation to the work they have to perform is under continuous review. In this way, the non-industrial civil staffs in Departments other than the Post Office and Defence group, have been reduced from 355,515 on 1st July, 1948, to 336,170 on 1st October, 1949. This process will be supplemented by economies arising from the particular reductions of services which I then described or which may later be found practicable.
§ Mr. OsborneIs the Chancellor aware that there are many semi-Government Departments which are terribly overstaffed? For example, the War Agricultural Committee Department has 10 times more people than it had during the war to do the same amount of work. Will the Government really look into this to see whether they can get more workers for productive industry?
§ Sir S. CrippsI cannot accept what the hon. Member says because the matter is under continual review.
§ Mr. StokesHas the Chancellor really caused to be examined the amount of mechanisation that has gone on in clerical staffing? Is he aware that staffs can be very greatly reduced by the proper use of modern instruments?
§ Sir S. CrippsConsiderable mechanisation has taken place in Government administrative staffing.