§ Mr. Hordernasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of personnel employed by the area health authorities in each year since they were formed; if he will list the wages and salaries paid by these authorities in each of those years; and what savings he expects to emerge by their abolition.
§ Dr. Vaughan[pursuant to his reply, 22 February 1980, c. 353–4]: The total number of staff employed by area health authorities—including senior medical staff employed by AHA(T)s—and the broadly matching annual total of salaries and wages, are as follows:
Total area employees (whole time equivalents) 30 September 1974 … … 637,000 30 September 1975 … … 680,000 30 September 1976 … … 705,000 30 September 1977 … … 708,000 30 September 1978 … … 713,000
Total salaries and wages for NHS staff employed by AHAs (£ million) 1974–75 … … … … 1,684 1975–76 … … … … 2,224 1976–77 … … … … 2,548 1977–78 … … … … 2,762 1978–79 … … … … 3,091 If the proposals in "Patients First" are implemented, after transitional costs of protection, compensation and early retirement have been met, we expect to achieve a reduction of up to 10 per cent. in the cost of managing the Service. This would mean that up to £30 million a year would be available for expenditure on services for patients.