§ Q3. Mr. Whitakerasked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the co-ordination between Ministers in establishing the number of civil servants required to implement recent legislation involving more than one Department; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Prime MinisterThere are already arrangements which ensure that my right hon. Friends are fully aware of the manpower implications of any proposal under consideration by them.
§ Mr. WhitakerIs it not correct that, while everyone desires maximum efficiency, any artificial limit on numbers results in civil servants working very long overtime which, for many of them, is unpaid? Since the Opposition frequently demand legislation as much as this side of the House which would require more civil servants, is my right hon. Friend aware that many civil servants who are my constituents and cannot answer for themselves are tired of being used as political footballs?
§ The Prime MinisterThere is a problem, which has to be watched, of the danger of excessive overtime and it is true that, when a Government set out to create a ceiling on the number of civil servants, that danger is intensified. But I have been very carefully into the figures. Only a small minority do not receive overtime payment. I do not think that there is any cause for alarm at the moment. My hon. Friend will be glad to know that there was a fall of about 500 in the number of non-industrial civil servants between 1st April, 1968, and 1st April, 1969.
§ Rear-Admiral Morgan-GilesWill the right hon. Gentleman tell us how many civil servants are involved in reconciling the conflicting policies of the British export drive on one side and the policy of sanctions against Rhodesia on the other?
§ The Prime MinisterAbout 15 per cent. of the number who would be require to reconcile Conservative promises to reduce expenditure and their pledges to spend more on almost every item.