§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the difference between the average guaranteed price and the average market price for home-killed sheepmeat in each year since 1973 and in 1985 to date, together with any additional payments to hill farmers and others on account of sheepmeat or wool production and financed directly or indirectly out of public funds.
§ Mr. MacGregor[pursuant to his reply, 24 July 1985]: From 1973 to October 1980 support arrangements for sheep were provided under the United Kingdom's fat 843W sheep guarantee scheme. The following figures show the difference between the average market price and the guaranteed price in the relevant marketing years.
p/kg 1973–74 +14.0 1974–75 — 1975–76 — 1976–77 +20.0 1977–78 +9.0 1978–79 +13.0 1979–80 +10.0 These arrangements were superseded on 20 October 1980 by the European Community's sheepmeat regime. Since then support levels have been set by the Council of Ministers and expenditure has been reimbursed from Community funds. The following figures show the difference between the average market price and the guide price in the relevant marketing years.
p/kg 1981–82 -18.0 1982–83 -56.0 1983–84 -75.0 1984–85 -43.0 Information is not yet available for 1985.
Non-Industrial Home Civil Service Voluntary Resignations from Open Structure Grades for the period 1975 to 1984 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 *1984 Permanent Secretary Staff in post at 1 January 42 44 44 42 41 42 41 40 37 40 Voluntary resignations 0 1 2 2 1 1 0 1 2 2 Rate per cent. 0 2.3 4.5 4.8 2.4 2.4 0 2.5 5.4 5.0 Deputy Secretary Staff in post at 1 January 156 156 156 156 158 158 151 143 134 137 Voluntary resignations 3 3 2 4 1 4 2 2 3 — Rate per cent. 1.9 1.9 1.3 2.6 0.6 2.5 1.3 1.4 2.2 — Under Secretary Staff in post at 1 January 633 637 632 615 614 615 579 554 524 505 Voluntary resignations 1 9 10 8 11 6 7 9 15 6 Rate per cent. 0.2 1.4 1.6 1.3 1.8 1.0 1.2 1.6 2.9 1.2 All Staff Staff in post at 1 January 831 837 832 813 814 814 771 737 695 682 Voluntary resignations 4 13 14 14 13 11 9 12 20 8 Rate per cent. 0.5 1.5 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.3 1.2 1.6 2.9 1.2 * Data for 1984 are provisional at present. Source: Internal records, "Civil Service Statistics" and Mandate.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Prime Minister what evidence she has that civil servants are leaving the profession prematurely because of dissatisfaction with salary levels.
§ The Prime MinisterIn 1984 it is estimated that the voluntary resignation rate from the Civil Service was 4.4 per cent., compared with 4.2 per cent. in 1983. Reasons for leaving, in so far as they are known, cover a wide field, including both better pay and prospects offered in the new employment, and also other factors. I also refer my hon. Friend to the recent report of the Review Body on Top Salaries (Cmnd. 9525), paragraphs 46–53 which deal with this on the basis of evidence they took on this question.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement of the state of morale in the Civil Service.
844WBecause the change in arrangements occurred during 1980 there is no comparable figure for 1980–81. However, the difference between the average market price in that year and an average of the guaranteed and guide prices is -15.0 p/kg.
The remainder of the information requested is contained in the "Annual Review of Agriculture 1985" for the most recent years for which data is available and in previous reviews for earlier years. Copies are available in the Library of the House.