§ 25. Mr. Ridsdaleasked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what has been the increase to date of employment in central and local government, respectively, since October 1964.
§ Mr. FernyhoughExcluding Post Office employees and casual staff and counting part-time employees as half units, the numbers of central government non-industrial staff increased by 58,300 in the period 1st October, 1964, to 1st December, 1968, and the numbers of industrials decreased by 21,800 in the same period.
Information about the numbers employed by local authorities and in police forces is available only at June each year. Between 1964 and 1968 the numbers, counting part-time workers as whole units, increased by 323,300.
§ Mr. RidsdaleIs there any sign yet of the increase in the public sector slowing down in favour of the private sector, where employment has actually declined since October, 1964?
§ Mr. FernyhoughLike many other hon. Members, the hon. Gentleman has to make up his mind. If he is suggesting that we should not have more policemen, that we should not have more teachers, that we should not have more day nurseries and that we should not pass more social legislation which demands civil servants to administer it, then I agree that we can have fewer civil servants; but he and many other hon. Members speak with two voices when discussing this problem.