§ Mr. Steelasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the total reduction in the number of staff employed by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in each year since 1979.
§ Mr. Lawson[pursuant to his reply, 9 May 1984, c. 386]: The total number of staff employed by Her 465W Majesty's Customs and Excise at 31 March 1979 was 28,870. The reductions in each financial year to the latest total of 25,309 at 31 March 1984 were as follows:
Year Reduction 1979–80 1,597 1980–81 412 1981–82 605 1982–83 554 1983–84 393