HC Deb 07 February 1980 vol 978 cc330-1W
Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will compare for 1960, 1970 and the latest year for which figures are available, at current and at constant prices, the total wages and salaries bill for local government employees, distinguishing between the main categories of employment, and also showing the average cost per

£'000
1960–61 971,300
1970–71 2,707,972
1977–78 8,992,895
1978–79 9,915,000 (Provisional estimate)
Notes
(a) A specific deflator to convert these figures to constant prices is not available.
(b) It is not possible to distinguish between the main categories of employment. Below is a table showing the latest available breakdown of these total figures by service (at current prices).
(c) Historical figures on average cost per employee are not available, but the current number of employees (full-time equivalents) in this sector is 1977–78 2,073.8 thousand, and for 1978–79 2.085.4 thousands.
(d) All "wages and salary" figures include employer's superannuation and national insurance contribution.
SALARIES AND WAGES (1)(6) AT OUTTURN PRICES
£'000
1960–61 1970–71 1977–78
Education (excluding meals and milk) 414,000 1,117,840 4,112,755
School meals and milk 79,743 316,182
Public libraries, museums and art galleries 33,819 123,571
Local health authority(2) services 44,700 135,556
Welfare services 15,600 59,482
Child care (including approved schools and remand homes 8,800 32,424
Personal social services 751,068
Police (including school crossing patrols) 73,900 260,032 868,788
Fire service 18,900 53,838 183,610
Administration of justice (including probation service) 22,230 75,832
Sewerage and sewage(3) disposal 10,800 29,108
Refuse collection and disposal 25,200 59,702 189,784
Parks and open spaces 17,300 43,090 228,212
Baths and public laundries 14,543
Public health (including port health authority services) 34,003 128,618
Rate collection 14,280 61,716
General administration 101,260 255,631
Highways, public lighting and parking of vehicles 50,400 118,839 323,651
Youth employment 5,680 21,964
All other rate fund(4) services 115,300 131,813 470,118
Housing(5) 38,700 112,917 444,138
Trading services—all 102,200 160,665 178,893
Agency services for government departments 6,200 19,736 62,746
Capital account—all 29,300 67,381 195,618
All services 971,300 2,707,972 8,992,895
(1) Including employer's contribution to superannuation funds and payments to beneficiaries under pension schemes not chargeable to superannuation funds.
(2) Responsibility for these services passed to the new health authorities on reorganisation.
(3) As a result of reorganisation responsibility for sewerage and sewage disposal has been transferred to regional water authorities.
(4) Up to and including 1976–77 includes "unallocated salaries and wages".
(5) Housing revenue account, slum clearance and other housing (Slum clearance and other housing are rate fund services).
(6) Extracted from "Local Government Financial Statistics, England and Wales".

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