§ Mrs. Beckettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the latest estimates of the average wastage rates of staff in each grade in each social security region and each local social security office in the London north and south regions; and what were the comparable figures in 1979 and 1983.
Table II—1983, 1986 Executive Officer/Local Officer I Clerical Officer/Local Officer II Clerical Assistant 1983 1986 1983 1986 1983 1986 Scotland 2.0 0.7 4.5 2.1 5.9 3.7 North West 1.9 0.7 5.0 3.4 7.0 5.9 North East 2.0 0.9 5.7 3.5 7.0 5.8 Midlands 3.6 1.2 6.0 3.8 8.1 6.1 Wales and South West 2.5 0.8 6.7 2.9 10.0 5.1 London North 3.7 1.3 11.4 7.5 13.5 9.0 London South 3.5 1.9 9.6 8.4 12.0 10.0 Total (Regional Organisation) 2.7 1.1 6.5 4.7 8.3 6.6 Notes
1. Expressed as a percentage of staff in post in each grade in 1979, 1983 and 1986.
2. Between 1979 and 1983 the number of Social Security regions reduced from twelve to seven.
§ Mr. Wareingasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to increase the number of permanent staff at his Department's offices in Liverpool.
§ Mr. LyellThere are no immediate plans to change the number of pemanent staff in the Department's offices in Liverpool. A review of staffing levels in the Department's
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§ Mr. LyellThe following tables give voluntary resignation rates for 1979, 1983 and 1986 in each social security region for each of the main grades—executive officer/local officer I, clerical officer/local officer II, and clerical assistant. Voluntary resignation rates are not readily available in this detail for higher grades, but would be under 1 per cent. Rates for individual local offices in the two London regions are not available for 1979 and 1983. Neither are they readily available for 1986 and the cost of supplying them would be disproportionate. In any event, in view of the relatively small numbers involved combined with the erratic incidence of wastage, single year figures for any individual local office are of limited significance.
The rates quoted for 1979 and 1983 are based on historical data. The current rates given for 1986 are estimates based on voluntary resignations notified as part of a survey of the reasons staff give for leaving the Department.
Table I—1979 Department of Health and Social Security Social Security Regional Organisation Voluntary Resignation Rates 1979, 1983, 1986 Executive Officer/Local Officer I Clerical Officer/Local Officer II Clerical Assistant Northern 3.2 10.2 14.6 Yorkshire and Humberside 5.2 11.1 11.8 East Midlands and East Anglia 4.8 19.5 18.3 London North 8.8 25.0 18.7 London South 7.5 20.4 20.6 London West 9.6 21.1 17.9 South Western 3.9 14.7 21.9 Wales 3.5 10.0 13.0 West Midlands 6.3 14.5 16.1 Manchester 4.8 13.8 18.8 Merseyside 5.6 14.1 14.5 Scotland 3.3 11.0 16.3 Total (Regional Organisation) 5.7 15.6 16.9 local offices has just been completed. Complements of individual local offices, including those in Liverpool, will be revised in the light of the findings of this review and of the review which is examining all social security tasks to identify further scope for reducing workloads.