§ 11. Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the latest figures he has for the staffing levels at Gwynedd county council and compare them with those of one year ago.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsThe latest return of the joint manpower watch shows that over the 12-month period March 1980 to March 1981 the number of full-time staff rose by 23, from 6,097 to 6,120, while the number of part-time employees fell by 118, from 3,725 to 3,607. These figures exclude those employed by the county council on law and order services and those employed as a result of the Government's special temporary employment programme.
§ Mr. BestHow do those figures compare with figures in other local authorities in Wales? Is my hon. Friend aware that the lion's share of local authority expenditure—about 70 per cent. —is devoted to manpower?
§ Mr. RobertsI am certainly aware of the latter point made by my hon. Friend. All other county authorities in Wales have reduced their full-time staffing. Three have increased their part-time staff.
§ Mr. WigleyIs the Minister aware that between 1974 and 1978 Gwynedd lost £4 million in rate support grant and had to cut its services to the bare minimum? Will he accept that the need now in Gwynedd is for increased expenditure on many services including the social services and on road construction?
§ Mr. RobertsThere has been an increase in social services staff in Wales over the year to which I have referred. I am aware of the position of Gwynedd. I do not wish to comment on the performance of individual authorities. Their circumstances vary widely. It is clear, however, that some authorities have been making efforts to reduce their staff while others have not. During the coming year all authorities will be expected to reduce their manpower.