HC Deb 30 November 1959 vol 614 cc857-8
28. Mr. Shinwell

asked the Minister of Aviation how many of the staff formerly employed at the Ministry of Supply have been transferred to his Department.

Mr. Sandys

The non-industrial civilian staff of the Ministry of Aviation totals about 25,000, of whom about 20,000 have come from the Ministry of Supply. In addition there are about 23,000 industrial staff.

Mr. Shinwell

In view of the fact that the War Office has had transferred to it about 40,000 from the Ministry of Supply, and the right hon. Gentleman's statement that over 40,000 have come from the Ministry of Supply to his Department, is there to be no redundancy as a result of this reorganisation? What was the point of abolishing the Ministry of Supply unless there was some redundancy, and unless we could get rid of some of the waste material that has been at the Ministry of Supply?

Mr. Sandys

I explained this point to the right hon. Gentleman at consider- able length in the debate we had the other day. I said that the same amount of work has still to be done, and that unless we reduce the work we cannot reduce the staff. What has happened is that certain sections of work have been transferred, with their appropriate staff, to the other Departments.