HC Deb 22 December 1983 vol 51 cc365-7W
Mr. Ralph Howell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is (a) the total figure for United Kingdom public sector employment, (b) the figure for each principal Government Department and (c) the estimate for (a) and (b) for 1984;

(2) what percentage of the total employed labour force was represented by the public sector in mid-1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983.

Mr. Peter Rees

The latest available figures for public sector employment are as follows:

Estimates for 1984 are not available.

Mid-year Public Sector employment(000) Percentage of total employed labour force†
1979 7,417 29.3
1980 7,356 29.2
1981 7,154 29.6
1982 6,992 29.4
1983* 6,895 29.3
* Provisional.
Source: Department of Employment Gazette, November 1983, Supplementary series.

The number of employed in principal Government Departments at 1 October 1983 is shown in the following table. I gave manpower plans for the years 1984 to 1988 making allowance for productivity gains, privatisation, hiving off and the contracting out of services on 17 November in answer to my hon. Friend the member for Exeter (Vol. 48, c. 554 to 558).

Departments (grouped by Ministerial responsibilities) Total Staff (full-time equivalents)*
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 11,844
Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce 615
Cabinet Office 504
Management and Personnel Office (including Parliamentary Counsel) 1,196
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Treasury 2,382
Customs and Excise 25,251
Inland Revenue 71,450
National Savings, Department for 7,968
Civil Service Catering Organisation 1,348
Government Actuary 61
Information, Central Office of 966
National Investment and Loans Office 53
Registry of Friendly Societies 116
Royal Mint 1,011
Her Majesty's Stationery Office 3,904
Defence
Defence, Ministry of 186,153
Royal Ordnance Factories 18,417
Education and Science
Education and Science, Department of 2,367
Victoria and Albert Museum 629
Science Museum 483
Employment
Employment, Department of 30,953
Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service 653
Health and Safety Commission/Executive 3,592
Manpower Services Commission 23,509
Energy, Department of 1,091
Environment
DOE (excluding PSA) 7,756
PSA (excluding Supplies Division) 25,934
PSA (Supplies Division) 1,953
Ordnance Survey 2,830
Foreign and Commonwealth
FCO 9,249
Overseas Development Administration 1,761
Home
Home Office 35,199
Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor's Department (including Public Trustee Office) 10,151
Land Registry 6,572
Public Record Office 398
Northern Ireland Office 189
Paymaster General's Office 853
Scotland
Scottish Office 10,194
Scottish Courts Administration 874
General Register Office, Scotland 275
Registers of Scotland 678
Scottish Record Office 126
Social Services
Health and Social Security, Department of 90,142
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys 2,100
Trade and Industry
Trade and Industry, Department of 12,956
Export Credits Guarantee Department 1,806
Office of Fair Trading 313

Departments (grouped by Ministerial responsibilities) Total Staff (full-time equivalents)*
Transport, Department of 14,179
Wales Welsh Office 2,177
Other Civil Departments
Charity Commission 332
Crown Estate Office 107
Crown Office (Scotland) and Procurator Fiscal Service 943
Director of Public Prosecutions 223
Law Officers' Department 20
Lord Advocate's Department 21
Office of Arts and Libraries 44
Privy Council Office 31
Treasury Solicitor 447
TOTAL ALL DEPARTMENTS 636,349
*Part-time working more than 10 hours—counted as half units.