§ 24. Mr. Jesselasked the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants are at present employed.
§ Mr. Charles R. MorrisAt 1st January 1976 there were 745,120 civil servants in post. The comparable figure for 1st April 1976 should be available later this month.
§ Mr. JesselAs that figure represents an increase, since October 1974, of 58,000 in the number of civil servants, can the Minister say, in view of the crippling level of taxation in this country, what the Government are doing to control administrative costs, as foreshadowed in the February White Paper?
§ Mr. MorrisI accept that there has been an appreciable increase in the number of civil servants, but I remind the House that the figures that I have given today include 20,862 civil servants employed by the Manpower Services Commission and its agencies who became civil servants from 1st January 1976 under the provisions of the Employment Protection Act.
§ Mr. CryerIs my hon. Friend satisfied with the political control of civil servants, in view of remarks made by recently—departed Ministers? Is he satisfied that civil servants are not exercising undue influence to inhibit the Government's radical programme?
§ Mr. MorrisCivil servants give advice: Ministers take decisions.
§ Mr. AdleyIs the Minister not slightly perturbed by reports today that a number of civil servants in the Department of 22 Health and Social Security are earning less than those to whom they pay benefit?
§ Mr. MorrisI am disturbed by those reports, but whether they represent fact is open to question.