§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister for the Civil Service what were the total numbers of civil servants and other public sector workers and their annual costs (a) when the Government assumed office and (b) for the latest and most convenient stated date.
§ Mr. HayhoeI can answer only for the Civil Service. At 1 April 1979 there were 732,000 civil servants in central Government Departments, compared with 697,100 at 1 October 1980, the latest date for which figures are available. The provision in Votes in 1979–80 for Civil Service pay costs was £3,717 million and in 1980–81 was £4,627 million.