§ Mr. Tony Banksasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of civil servants now working in his Department on (a) duties associated with the abolition of the Greater London council and metropolitan county councils and (b) rates limitation, listing in each case the numbers and ranks of officials and the estimated cost per year of each group.
§ Mr. Waldegrave[pursuant to his reply, 16 July 1984, c. 56]: The number of staff working on abolition of the GLC/MCCs is as follows:
809W
Grade Estimated full-time equivalents Deputy Secretary 0.2 Under Secretary 2.0 Assistant Chief Planner 0.1 Director B 0.4 Assistant Secretary 6.2 Assistant Solicitor 1.0 Superintending Engineer 0.8 Superintending Planner 0.4 Senior Principal 0.7 Senior Legal Assistant 1.5 Principal 13.6 Principal Planning Officer 0.3 810W
Grade Estimated full-time equivalents Principal Engineer 0.8 Principal Research Officer 0.5 Senior Executive Officer 1.0 Senior Information Officer 1.4 Senior Planning Officer 0.3 Senior Research Officer 0.9 Higher Executive Officer 10.9 Executive Officer 2.9 Senior Personal Secretary 1.8 Clerical Officer/Assistant 5.9 Personal Secretary 6.3 Total 59.9 The cost, including accommodation, of employing these staff for a whole year would be approximately £:1.6 million (1983 prices).
In relation to rate limitation, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham) on 12 June, at column 429. Arrangements have now been made for responsibility for the work that will be involved in the rate limitation procedures covering the 18 selected authorities for 1985–86 to be distributed among officials who will also be responsible for case work arising from the rate support grant. The number of officials playing some part in these procedures has therefore increased, but the commitment of staff resources overall remains unchanged. The cost of this level of input, including accommodation, on an annual basis would be approximately £260,000 (1983 prices)