§ 4. Mr. Onslowasked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs whether, in compiling statistics for the preparation of a revised version of the National Plan, he will seek to establish how many staff in the private sector of the economy are wholly or mainly employed with work which is directly connected with the compilation and rendering of official returns and forms, with the collection of taxes, and with other similar activities performed on behalf of the Government.
§ Mr. OnslowWhy on earth not? Is the Minister afraid to ask industry how many men have to be employed in this way, or does he not know the answer?
§ Mr. ShoreThe information would obviously have some interest, but it would hardly be essentially relevant to an industrial inquiry designed to help revise the National Plan. I think if one put this further obligation upon industry it would be one that many firms, at any rate, would certainly not welcome.
§ 19. Mr. Higginsasked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the input/output tables which show the relationship between the various industries covered by the National Plan and reconcile the figures given for each industry.
§ Mr. HigginsThe First Secretary's predecessor said that the tables existed and would be published. The present First Secretary then said that it would cost too much to produce them. Do they exist or not, and will the hon. Gentleman place whatever tables exist 1806 in the Library so that we can carry out a post mortem on the National Plan?
§ Mr. ShoreAs my right hon. Friend explained on 25th November last year, the tables are based on the projections in the National Plan, which are no longer considered practicable for 1970. Therefore, work on the tables has not continued. There is also the problem that some of the figures might give a misleading impression of Government policy.
§ Mr. HigginsWhat happened to the actual figures for the base year? Were they ever reconciled or not?
§ Mr. HigginsWere they ever reconciled?
25. Mr. Edward M. Taylorasked the First Secretary of State and Secretary of State for Economic Affairs to what extent the forecasts contained in the National Plan will be affected by the increase over the past 28 months in the numbers of people employed in the Civil Service and local government service; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. TaylorWould the hon. Gentleman explain how it assists rapid and sustained growth in the economy to redeploy 38,000 additional civil servants into the Civil Service in a period of two years?
§ Mr. ShoreThose additions reflect changes in the population structure and the services that are required to meet it, particularly the Government's policy of improving certain social services. The great majority of the increase in people employed by local government comes under the headings of education, health and welfare.