HC Deb 13 November 1952 vol 507 cc1113-4
34. Mr. Burden

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the Statistics Division of his Department has increased from 1,331 in 1951–52 to 1,379 in 1952–53.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

The figures quoted by my hon. Friend were staff forecasts used for the purpose of preparing the estimates for the two financial years in question. In the figure for 1952–53 allowance had to be made for additional staff needed to prepare the results of the 1951 Census of Production. In the event, this addition was offset by reductions which it was found possible to make elsewhere in the Statistics Division, and the actual numbers employed fell from 1,328 on 1st April, 1951, to 1,314 on 1st April, 1952, and to 1,115 on 1st November this year. I expect that by the end of the coming financial year the number will have fallen to about 700.