§ Lord Harris of High Crossasked Her Majesty's Government:
What were, for each of the five years 1976 to 1980, the total numbers employed in (a) central Government, (b) local government, and (c) nationalised industries; and the average percentage increase in the wage and salary bills in each year for (a), (b) and (c).
§ The Minister of State, Treasury (Lord Cockfield)Final outturn figures for 1980 are not yet available. For the other years the figures requested are as follows:
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1976 1977 1978 1979 (a) central Government Numbers employed (thousands) 2,315 2,305 2,309 2,319 Wages and salaries bill (£m) 8,575 9,174 10,143 11,622 Percentage increase in wages and salaries bill over previous year 17 7 11 15 (b) local authorities Numbers employed (thousands) 3,024 2,999 3,013 3,070 Wages and salaries bill (£m) 9,126 9,698 10,852 12,303 Percentage increase in wages and salaries bill over previous year 11 6 12 13 (c) public corporations Numbers employed (thousands) 1,980 2,089 2,061 2,065 Wages and salaries bill (£m) 8,655 9,533 11,120 12,956 Percentage increase in wages and salaries bill over previous year 13 10 17 17 The figures for numbers employed, and wages and salaries bills, are published in National Income and Expenditure 1980 Edition. The figures for central Government include civil servants, National Health Service employees and the armed forces. The wages and salaries bills include employers' national insurance contributions, superannuations etc., but exclude national insurance surcharge.
Separate figures are not available for the nationalised industries component of public corporations. For 1980, final figures for which are not yet available, the percentage increases in the wages and salaries bill between 1979 and 1980 for central Government and local authorities are estimated to be about 27 per cent. and 24 per cent. respectively. A corresponding estimate is not available for public corporations.