§ 31. Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what overall reduction in local authorities staff is expected in the next financial year.
§ Mr. John SilkinThe recent rate support grant settlement is based on a standstill in local authorities' current expenditure and it is vital that local authorities keep to that. This should be reflected in staffing levels. But individual local authorities make their own decisions in these matters.
§ Mr. Stonehouseasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what monitoring he undertakes of the numbers of public servants employed in the local authorities; and what efforts he makes to encourage cost effectiveness in their services.
616W
§ Mr. John SilkinA system for collecting and scrutinising quarterly returns of staff totals employed in local authorities in England and Wales is operated jointly by central and local government.
Local authorities are individually responsible for efficiency and economy in the use of manpower. Central consultancy and general advisory services are provided by the Local Authorities Management Services and Computer Committee, whose costs are partly met by Exchequer grant.