§ Mr. Moateasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the staff shortage on British Rail, giving details of the level of shortfall.
§ Mr. CarmichaelI understand that the latest figures available are as follows:
Grade Vacancies Per Cent. Clerical 5.3 per cent. Drivers 1.0 per cent. Total Footplate 2.4 per cent. Guards 11.8 per cent. Signalmen 12.1 per cent. Permanent-Way staff 11.4 per cent. Leading railmen 15.7 per cent. Railmen 7.9 per cent. These figures relate to February 1974 and are for British Railways as a whole. In certain areas, particularly London and the South-East, the situation is worse. In the London area, for example, the figures for guards and signalmen are 16 per cent. and 18 per cent. respectively.
194WGovernment Estate and it is a appropriate that they should be treated on the same basis as Government offices and other premises.