HC Deb 02 February 1956 vol 548 cc1061-2
22. Sir F. Medlicott

asked the President of the Board of Trade the numbers of civil servants employed in his Department in each of the years from 1946 onwards, and the number it is estimated will be employed at the end of this present year.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

With permission, I will circulate the detailed figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT. These show that the present staff of 7,314 represents a reduction of more than 50 per cent. on the 1946 figure. I hope that there will be some further reduction on this figure by the end of the year but I cannot give a precise estimate at present.

Following are the figures:

BOARD OF TRADE NON-INDUSTRIAL STAFF

End of 1946, 15,247; 1947, 14,207; 1948, 13,067; 1949, 10,456; 1950, 10,092; 1951, 8,429*; 1952, 7,708; 1953, 6,965; 1954, 7,405†; 1955, 7,314‡.

*1,609 staff were transferred to Ministry of Materials during 1951.

†812 staff were transferred from Ministry of Materials to Board of Trade during 1954.

‡247 staff were transferred from Ministry of Supply to Board of Trade during 1955.