§ Sir J. Lucasasked the Minister of Fuel and Power the number of officials employed by the Ministry of Fuel and by fuel controllers under local authorities, respectively; and how the number compares with those employed say 12 months ago?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe total staff of my Department is now 4,800. I am unable to give comparable figures for January, 1942, as the Ministry was not formed until nth June last, on which date the staff totalled 4,067. The increase of staff between June, 1942, and the present time has been almost entirely due to the setting up of the regional organisation outlined in the Government's White Paper on Coal (Cmd. 6364). As regards the staff of local fuel overseers employed by local authorities, the total number of whole-time, part-time and voluntary officers of all grades for the 1,620 authorities affected is 7,403. Of these, nearly 2,000 are employed part-time or in a voluntary capacity. I regret I have no comparable figures available indicating the position at January, 1942.