HC Deb 11 February 1976 vol 905 cc433-4
11. Mr. Russell Johnston

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were employed by local authorities in each of the regions of Scotland in each of the years 1970 to 1975, inclusive.

Mr. Millan

This information is not available. Figures for the total number of staff employed by Scottish local authorities in the years mentioned, as notified to the Department of Employment, were given in reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, West (Lord James Douglas-Hamilton) on 14th January.—{Vol. 903, c. 162.]

Mr. Johnston

Is the Minister aware that I find it difficult to believe that the figures are not available, as we know, for example, that the total number employed in the Highland Region now is less than the totality previously employed by the authorities within that region? That is not so in certain other regions. What is the Minister doing to find out why that is, in support of the original criticism made of this expansion by the Secretary of State?

Mr. Millan

We are arranging in future to get regular figures, starting from March 1976. The difficulty about the Question put down by the hon. Gentleman is that it involves—perhaps not in the Highland Region but certainly in other regions— dividing up the staff between one local authority and another to get the exact comparison in the new regions. We have given the total figures and, more important, we have made arrangements to monitor future staff changes. On the general question of staffing, as the hon. Gentleman said, the Secretary of State has made his position clear.

Mr. Robert Hughes

Will my right hon. Friend explain to those who make local authority staff numbers the all-too-easy target for their criticism that the ordinary people of Scotland need substantial help, and that to claim that a reduction in local authority staff is possible without a corresponding reduction of services is complete hypocrisy?

Mr. Millan

Yes. We have never asked for a reduction. Having regard to the need for stringency in public expenditure, we have asked local authorities not to keep adding to the number of staff, as they have done over the years. In most cases it would be fair to say that this has been done for good reasons, wholly supported by hon. Members on both sides of the House. The situation has changed. Nevertheless, I agree basically with what my hon. Friend said. If numbers are reduced it is difficult not to reduce services.

Mr. Michael Clark Hutchison

Does the Minister realise that if Scotland has this absurd Assembly the number of staff will increase even more?

Mr. Millan

That is perhaps not absolutely relevant to the Question. The staffing implications of the Assembly are included in the White Paper.

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