HC Deb 08 December 1987 vol 124 c135W
Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many(a) administrative and (b) clerical staff are employed by his Department (i) throughout the United Kingdom and (ii) in London; how many of them in each role work in connection with (1) the Health Service, (2) social security and (3) other services of his Department; how many such staff are currently employed by (a) regional and (b) district health authorities; and what is the total annual cost of all such staff.

Mr. Portillo

The numbers of whole-time equivalent administrative and clerical staff employed in the Department on 1 October 1987 are shown in the following table:

Administrative Clerical
Location
United Kingdom1 30,825 63,201
London pay area2 6,500 10,000
Function2
Health service3 2,000 2,500
Social security 29,000 60,500
1 London staff are included in the United Kingdom figures.
2 The numbers quoted for London staff in Location and all figures in Function are estimates.
3 Includes staff engaged on related Personal Social Services work.

A comparable breakdown for staff employed in the National Health Service is not available. On 30 September 1986, the latest date for which figures are available, the total number of administrative and clerical staff employed by health authorities in England was estimated to be

Number
Regional health authorities 7,800
District health authorities 95,400
Other employing authorities 8,100

At a total annual salary cost of £875 million.