§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Prime Minister, following her reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North on 19 July, Official Report, c. 74, if she will give details of the number of persons employed in the United Kingdom in (a) the Civil Service, (b) local government, (c) the National Health Service, (d) the armed forces and (e) public corporations, for each of the years 1960, 1979 and 1982.
§ The Prime MinisterThe information is as follows:
Number A. Civil Service 1960 639,000 1979 723,700 1982 659,300 B. Local Government 1960 *1,709,000 1979 *2,898,000 1982 *2,764,000 C. National Health Service 1960 565,000 1979 1,198,000 1982 1,287,000 D. Armed Forces 1960 525,500 1979 315,000 1982 327,600 E. Public Corporations 1960 1,865,000 1979 2,065,000 1982 1,759,000 * These figures include police forces but exclude police civilians, cadets, traffic wardens, magistrates' courts, the probation service and agency staff.