§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of: (a) administrative and (b) clerical staff currently employed within the National Health Service in Scotland; and by what percentage these levels have risen since 1974.
§ Mr. Harry EwingAccurate information in the form requested is not available for 1974. At 31st January 1976, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 2,643 administrative and 9,929 clerical staff, a total of 12,572—whole-time equivalents—employed in the National Health Service in Scotland. This figure represents an increase of 17.5 per cent. on the corresponding figure for 30th September 1974. A freeze on administrative and clerical staff was imposed in February of this year, when health authorities were informed that additional posts would be approved by my right hon. Friend's Department only in exceptional circumstances.