§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by how much the number of all local government officials has risen or fallen since 1979; and by how much, taking into account inflation, aggregate local government spending has risen in money and percentage terms.
§ Mr. Chris Patten[pursuant to his reply, 9 February 1984, c. 723]: In Northern Ireland the number increased by 768–9.5 per cent.—between April 1979 and April 1983; aggregate outturn expenditure by district councils in 1982–83 was £15.4 million—18.1 per cent.—above that in 1978–79, both figures expressed at 1982–83 prices using the gross domestic product deflator which measures the general rate of inflation in the economy.