Mrs. Currieasked the Secretary of State for Defence, in view of the lower costs of employing civilian personnel, if he has any plans for increasing the proportion of such personnel as a means of maintaining services while reducing costs (a) in vehicle depots and (b) generally.
Mr. StanleyWhile the Ministry of Defence has been studying various aspects of the vehicle depot organisation within the United Kingdom, there are no plans at present to vary the proportions of military and civilian personnel employed in them.
More generally, the Ministry of Defence is constantly examining ways of reducing costs. Proposals for streamlining our organisation have to be considered in the light of the need to maintain essential defence capabilities.